The veneration of Saint George has its origin in the east, in Palestine. By the 5th century the cult had reached the Western Roman Empire; in 494, George was canonized as a saint. In the course of the Middle Ages, many churches were consecrated in his name. However, the cult of Saint George spread even more from the time of the Crusades; diverse chivalric military Orders of St George were established then, to fight against the heathens. One legend has it that George killed a dragon to save a maid. This made him the embodiment of chivalry, especially in England. In 1222, the Synod of Oxford declared St George's Day a feast day in the kingdom. George became the personal patron of Richard I, the Lionheart, as well as patron saint of England and of the Order of the Garter, even though there exist no historical connections between George and the Anglo-Saxon region. And so, British coins depict Saint George slaying the dragon until this day.