Europa
- 1600: Execution of Giordano Bruno
The Italian philosopher and mathematician Giordano Bruno was burned at the stake for heresy in Rome’s Campo de’ Fiori. His execution is a significant moment in European intellectual history, symbolizing the clash between free thought and religious orthodoxy. - 1753: Sweden switches calendars
On this day, Sweden transitioned from the Julian to the Gregorian calendar. Uniquely, February 17 was immediately followed by March 1, skipping several days to align with the new system. - 1461: Second Battle of St. Albans (England)
During the Wars of the Roses, Lancastrian forces defeated the Yorkists at the Second Battle of St. Albans, a pivotal event in English history. - 1863: Founding of the International Committee of the Red Cross
In Geneva, Switzerland, a group of citizens established the International Committee for Relief to the Wounded, which later became the International Committee of the Red Cross, a major humanitarian organization. - 2008: Kosovo declares independence
Kosovo formally declared its independence from Serbia, a major event in recent European history that followed years of conflict in the Balkans. - 1370: Battle of Rudau – Teutonic Knights vs. Grand Duchy of Lithuania.
- 1411: Musa Çelebi becomes Sultan in the Ottoman Interregnum, with support from Wallachia.
- 1500: Battle of Hemmingstedt in Denmark, where local peasants resisted ducal forces.
- 1874: British Conservatives under Disraeli win their first majority since 1841.
- 1914: British suffragettes escalate their campaign with acts of arson and vandalism.
America
- 1801: Thomas Jefferson elected President
The U.S. House of Representatives broke an Electoral College tie and elected Thomas Jefferson as President and Aaron Burr as Vice President, resolving a major constitutional crisis. - 1865: Fort Sumter returned to Union control
During the American Civil War, Union forces regained control of Fort Sumter in South Carolina after it had been held by the Confederacy for nearly a year and a half. Fort Sumter was the site of the war’s opening shots. - 1909: Death of Geronimo
Apache leader Geronimo died while in captivity at Fort Sill, Oklahoma. He was a prominent figure in Native American resistance against U.S. military campaigns in the Southwest. - 1913: The Armory Show opens in New York
The influential Armory Show, introducing modern art to the United States with works by Matisse, Picasso, and van Gogh, opened in New York City. - 1933: First issue of Newsweek published
The news magazine Newsweek was published for the first time in the United States. - 1959: First weather satellite launched
The United States launched its first weather satellite, marking a milestone in meteorological science. - 1863: Red Cross precursor founded
Although this event took place in Geneva, Switzerland, the founding of the “Committee for Relief to the Wounded” (later the International Committee of the Red Cross) had significant humanitarian impact in the Americas as well.
Asia
- 1592: Toyotomi Hideyoshi Orders Invasion of Korea
Japanese ruler Toyotomi Hideyoshi mobilized his troops for what would become the Imjin War, Japan’s attempted invasion of Korea. This event marked a significant escalation in East Asian military history. - 1942: Farrer Park Address and Formation of the Indian National Army (INA)
Two days after the British surrender of Singapore during World War II, the Farrer Park address occurred. British Indian Army troops were formally surrendered to the Japanese, who then transferred authority to Mohan Singh. Singh addressed the troops, declaring the formation of the Indian National Army, which would later fight for Indian independence from British rule. On the same day, Japanese occupiers renamed Singapore “Shonan,” meaning “Light of the South”. - 1867: First Ship Passes Through the Suez Canal
The Suez Canal, connecting the Mediterranean and Red Seas, saw its first ship passage, revolutionizing global trade and profoundly impacting Asia’s connections with Europe and Africa. - 1904: Premiere of “Madama Butterfly” in Japan
Giacomo Puccini’s opera “Madama Butterfly,” set in Nagasaki, Japan, had its first performance. The opera later became one of the world’s most performed works of musical theater. - 1972: Japanese Red Army Leader Arrested
Nagata Yōko, leader of the Japanese Red Army, was arrested in Gunma Prefecture. The group was responsible for numerous violent incidents in Japan during the 1970s. - 1906: Formation of the Bungei Kyōkai (Literary Society) in Japan, which played a key role in modern Japanese theater.
- 1944: The U.S. launched Operation Hailstone against Japanese forces at Truk (Chuuk) in the central Pacific, a major battle in the Pacific War.
- 1970: Formation of the Sanrizuka Boys Action Squad to protest the construction of Narita Airport in Japan.
Africa
- Libyan Revolution Day (February 17th Revolution)
February 17 is celebrated as Revolution Day in Libya, marking the start of the 2011 uprising against Colonel Muammar Gaddafi’s regime. This day, also called the “Day of Revolt,” is a public holiday in Libya and commemorates the beginning of mass protests in cities like Benghazi, Darnah, Ajdabiya, and Zintan. The demonstrations, which were met with violent repression, sparked a civil war that ultimately led to the fall and death of Gaddafi, ending his four-decade rule and ushering in a new era of attempts at democracy in Libya. The revolution was part of the wider Arab Spring movement that swept across North Africa and the Middle East. - 1838: Weenen Massacre (South Africa)
On February 17, 1838, the Weenen Massacre occurred along the Blaukraans River in what is now KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Zulu forces, acting on orders from King Dingaan, attacked Voortrekker encampments, resulting in the deaths of hundreds of settlers—men, women, and children. This was a pivotal and tragic event during the period of conflict between Zulu kingdoms and migrating Boer settlers. - In 1891, Albert C. Richardson, an African-American inventor, patented the churn, contributing to technological progress in food processing, though this invention occurred in the United States and is more relevant to the African diaspora.
This day in history: 17 february