Who invented the first flush toilet?

The first flush toilet was invented by an English amateur poet named Sir John Harrington. Harrington was close to the court of Queen Elizabeth I, but he found himself banished from her presence for his habit of telling dirty jokes in 1584.

While he was away from court, Sir John had a home built for himself near the town of Bath. As part of the home's design, he included a flushable bowl that, perhaps as an homage to his fellow poet Homer, he named "Ajax." In 1592, the Queen favored him with a royal visit, and he proudly offered Her Majesty the use of his "throne," which she graciously accepted.