The existence of the "flag of the five crosses" is documented since the 13th century. The central element of the flag is the cross of Saint George, which is considered the patron saint of Georgia and also appears on the flag of England. According to the Georgian scholar Giorgi Gabeskiria, the four small crosses on the flag probably date back to the reign of George V of Georgia (nicknamed "the Brilliant" or "the Splendid" ), a monarch who succeeded in expelling the Mongols. Over time, some modifications were introduced, such as the design of the small crosses, which became a variant of those that appear on the Jerusalem cross, a symbol used by the Crusaders.

​

The flag fell into disuse during the Middle Ages. After Georgia's independence from the Soviet Union in 1991 it was revived by Georgian nationalism. Eight years later, a majority of Georgians, including the patriarch of the Georgian Orthodox Church, supported the restoration of the ancient emblem of the Kingdom of Georgia and in parliament the bill to modify the flag passed all the procedures, although it did not reach enter into force due to the refusal of President Eduard Shevardnadze to sanction the norm. After the president's refusal to recover "The Five Crosses Flag", it was adopted as a symbol of the main opposition party, the United National Movement, led by Mikhail Saakashvili and its use represented a rejection of Shevardnadze.