Whose invention is the flush toilet?

Sir John Harington, an English courtier and inventor, described and built an early flush toilet in 1596 for Queen Elizabeth I and his own home. His design included a valve and a water tank that helped remove waste. Although it was an important prototype, the flush toilet did not become widely practical until much later improvements in plumbing and sanitation. By the 19th century, water closets had become much more common in cities. Harington’s invention is a key step in the history of public health and sanitation.