This Day in History – January 17

Our extensively long and glorious history as human civilization is truly symbolic of how far we have come and how many revolutions, phenomenal events and decades we went through. Appear for any competitive exam and you will definitely be tested on the basis of knowing human history in one way or another. And also, it adds to your overall sense of the world. Are you always curiously looking for historical facts? If yes, have you ever wondered what all events took place on a specific date? If your answer is yes, then this blog is just for you. Let’s take you through the most historic events that happened on January 17 around the world!

38 BC – Octavian divorced Scribonia
The peace between the Second Triumvirate and Sextus Pompey ends after the Roman Emperor Octavian divorces his wife Scribonia.

1362 – Saint Marcellus’s Flood
The Saint Marcellus’s flood occurred on 17 January 1362 across the Netherlands, Denmark and Germany, killing over 25,000 people. 

1524 – Giovanni da Verrazzano sailed from Madeira
With a hope of finding a sea route to cross the Pacific Ocean, Giovanni da Verrazzano set sail from Madeira on 17 January 1524. 

1562 – Edict of Saint-Germain
Catherine de’ Medici passed the Edict of Saint-Germain, a decree of Tolerance against the Protestant Huguenots. 

1595 – Declaration of War on Spain
On 17 January 1595, Henry IV of France as a part of the French Wars of Religion, declared war on Spain. 

1608 – Battle between Oromo and Susenyos Army
In an unexpected battle between the army of Susenyos I and the Oromo army, over 12,000 men of the Oromo army were killed. 

1648 – Vote of No Addresses
The “Vote of No Addresses”, was passed by the Long Parliament against King Charles I on 17 January 1648. 

1773 – James Cook’s Expedition
The first expedition across the Atlantic Circle was led by James Cook. 

1781 – Battle of Cowpens
The Battle of Cowpens occurred on 17 January 1781 during the American Revolutionary War between the forces of Brigadier Daniel Morgan of the U.S. forces and Colonel Banastre Tarleton of the British forces. 

1811 – Battle of Calderón Bridge
The Battle of Calderón Bridge was a battle fought during the Mexican Revolutionary War, which ended with the death of over 14,000 soldiers. 

1873 – First Battle of the Stronghold
On 17 January 1873, the First Battle of the Stronghold took place as a part of the Modoc War between the Modocs and the United States. 

1885 – Battle of Abu Klea
The Battle of Abu Klea took place between British Desert Column and Mahdist forces on 17 January 1885. 

1893 – Overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdom
As a part of the Hawaiian Rebellion, a coup d’état was organised by the subjects of the Hawaiian Kingdom against the Queen Liliʻuokalani. 

1899 – Takeover of Wake Island
Wake Island was taken over by the United States on 17 January 1899.

1904 – Premiere of “The Cherry Orchard”
The premiere performance of Anton Chekhov’s “The Cherry Orchard” took place at Moscow Art Theatre. 

1915 – Battle of Sarikamish ended
The battle of Sarikamish ended on 17 January 1915 with the victory of Russian forces. 

1917 – The Virgin Islands sold to the United States
The Virgin Islands was sold by Denmark to the United States for 25 million dollars. 

1920 – Prohibition in the United States
The national alcohol ban began in the United States on 17 January 1920. 

1929 – Popeye the Sailor Man
The cartoon character Popeye the Sailor Man, created by E. C. Segar makes its first appearance through the Thimble Theatre Comic Strip. 

1941 – Battle of Ko Chang
The Battle of Ko Chang took place between the French Navy and Royal Thai Navy during the Franco-Thai War on 17 January 1941. 

1945 – Vistula–Oder Offensive
German troops are forced out of Warsaw by the Vistula–Oder Offensive during the second world war. 

1945 – Raoul Wallenberg Captured
Raoul Wallenberg, a Swedish Diplomat was taken into the Soviet Custody on 17 January 1945 and after the capture nobody ever saw him again. 

1946 – First session of UN Security Council
The first session of the UN security council took place on 17 January 1946. 

1950 – Great Brink’s Robbery
The Great Brink’s Robbery occurred at Brink’s Building in Boston and $2.775 million was stolen during this robbery.

1950 – United Nations Security Council Resolution 79
An arms control resolution named United Nations Security Council Resolution 79 was passed by the United Nations on 17 January 1950. 

1966 –  Palomares B-52 crash
The Palomares B-52 crashed after a mid-air collision on 17 January, 1966.

1969 – John Huggins and Bunchy Carter killed
John Huggins and Bunchy Carter, members of the Black Panther party are killed in UCLA during a meeting. 

1981 – Marital Law
The Marital law was lifted by Ferdinand Marcos, President of the Philippines. 

1991 – Operation Desert Storm
The Operation Desert Storm began on 17 January 1991 as a part of the Gulf War.

1994 – Northridge earthquake
An earthquake of 6.7 Richter Scale occurred in San Fernando Valley, killing 57 people and injuring 8700 others. 

1996 – Czech Republic
Czech Republic submitted an application to be a part of the European Union on 17 January 1996. 

2002 – Mount Nyiragongo erupted
Over 400,000 people are displaced after Mount Nyiragongo erupts in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

2010  – Riots in Nigeria
A riot broke out between Christians and Muslims in Nigeria on 17 January 2010 leading to deaths of over 200 people. 

So, this was our list of all the events which happened on 17 January. Wasn’t it fun? Consider any other date and the list could be even longer. Stay tuned to Leverage Edu for more such informative reads and educational content from around the globe.