The Order of the Bath is a prestigious English order of chivalry founded in 1725. Membership is reserved for citizens of the English Commonwealth, with most members being high-ranking military or civil servants. The highest-ranking person is the British monarch, followed by a Grand Master. Knights of the Bath have privileges such as the use of titles and special vestments. The creation of the order represented a significant shift in British culture, and it is believed that it was created for political favors.
The Knights of the Bath are members of the Order of the Bath, an English order of chivalry. The Order of the Bath is one of England’s most prestigious orders of chivalry and being selected to be a part of it is considered a great honour. Membership in the Order of the Bath is reserved for citizens of the English Commonwealth; most of the members are high-ranking military or civil servants. As with other orders of chivalry, the monarch grants membership, although he may consult with other members of the British government.
The Order of the Bath was founded in 1725. The order’s name refers to the traditional medieval process of chivalry, in which the future knight took a symbolic bath to put body and mind into a state of purity and clarity. Typically, knights would meditate all night in church after their bath, concentrating their minds before coming before the monarch to be knighted. John Anstis is generally credited with providing the inspiration for the Order of the Bath. After George I agreed to establish order, Anstis elaborated the rules of membership in his role as Garter King of Arms, creating regulations for the Knights of the Bath to follow and establishing the hierarchy and procedures for order.
The creation of the Knights of the Bath represented a significant shift in British culture. Previously, honors were only given to a limited number of people, in chivalric orders such as the Order of the Garter, which has very limited membership. Historians have suggested that Anstis pushed for the creation of the Order of the Bath to create an instrument that could be used for political favors; The Knights of the Bath would be understandably pleased with their appointment and probably willing to compensate or assist people who place their names in the Sovereign’s ear.
The highest-ranking person in the Order of the Bath is the British monarch, followed by a Grand Master, who ensures that members obey the order’s rules. By tradition, the Grand Master is typically a member of the British royal family. The Grand Master is followed by the Knights and Dames of the Grand Cross, then the Knights and Dames Commendatore, and finally the Knights Companions in the bathroom. Membership in this hierarchy is divided between civilians and military personnel; at one point, the Knights of the Bath were all members of the military, but this tradition was abolished by Queen Victoria.
The Knights of the Bath often show up at ceremonial events and processions, and also traditionally have an induction ceremony every four years to initiate new members. They are entitled to privileges such as the use of titles such as DCB for a Dame’s Companion of the Bath, and are also permitted to wear special vestments including cloaks, hats, sashes and brooches.
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