The Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George
I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the ancient ceremony wherein
individuals participated in a vigil of fasting, prayer, and bathing on
the day before being knighted. Apart from the Sovereign and the Great
Master, before 1815 there were a maximum of thirty six 'Knights of the
Bath' (K.B.). After 1815 the number of classes and members were
increased several times; the Order now includes three classes in civil
and military divisions. The Order's motto is Tria juncta in uno (Latin
for "Three joined in one"), a reference to either the union of
England, Scotland and Ireland, or to the Holy Trinity. The Order is
the fourth-most senior in the British honours system, after Order of
the Garter, Order of the Thistle, and Order of St Patrick. The last of
the aformentioned Orders—which relates to Ireland, no longer a part of
the United Kingdom—still exists but is in disuse; no appointments have
been made to it since 1934.
Read the rest of this article:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Order_of_the_Bath
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Today's selected anniversaries:
1429:
Battle of Orléans: French troops led by Joan of Arc lifted the English
siege of Orléans, a turning point in the Hundred Years' War.
(
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Orl%E9ans)
1862:
Union forces under David Farragut captured New Orleans, securing
access into the Mississippi River during the American Civil War.
(
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Farragut)
1945:
Adolf Hitler dictated his last will and testament to his secretary in
the Führerbunker, and then married Eva Braun in a brief ceremony.
(
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Last_will_and_testament_of_Adolf_Hitler)
1992:
The acquittal of policemen who had beaten Rodney King sparked civil
unrest in Los Angeles.
(
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1992_Los_Angeles_riots)
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Wikiquote of the day:
"Sometimes the road less traveled is less traveled for a reason." --
Jerry Seinfeld
(
http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Jerry_Seinfeld)