A brief history of why the military salute!
Image credit: sirtravelalot/Shutterstock.com
The origin of saluting is thought to date back to the Middle Ages. The gesture first occurred at jousting competitions where competions were organised for knights to show off their combat skills. A local girl would always be chosen to be ‘Queen’ for the day at such competitions. Her main duty was to present prizes to the winning competitors. When the victorious knights approached the Queen’s throne, they would shield their eyes with one hand in a gesture that implied they were dazzled by her beauty. The deed began to represent a mark of respect and was eventually adopted by the military for that purpose.
Header image credit: sirtravelalot/Shutterstock.com
If you’ve enjoyed reading this post, why not check out more of the articles in the series by clicking the following link: Why do we…….?
