December 17
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Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa
December 17 in recent years
December 17 is the 351st day of the year (352nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. There are 14 days remaining until the end of the year.
[edit] Events
546 - Gothic War (535–554): The Ostrogoths of King Totila conquer Rome by bribing the Byzantine garrison. 920 - Romanos I is crowned as co-emperor of the underage Emperor Constantine VII. 942 - Assassination of William I of Normandy. 1398 - Sultan Nasir-u Din Mehmud's armies in Delhi are defeated by Timur. 1531 - Pope Clement VII establishes a parallel body to the Inquisition in Lisbon, Portugal. 1538 - Pope Paul III excommunicates Henry VIII of England. 1577 - Francis Drake sets sail from Plymouth, England, on a secret mission to explore the Pacific Coast of the Americas for English Queen Elizabeth I. 1586 - Emperor Go-Yozei becomes Emperor of Japan. 1600 - Marriage of Henry IV of France and Marie de' Medici. 1637 - Shimabara Rebellion: Japanese peasants led by Amakusa Shiro rise against daimyo Matsukura Shigeharu. 1718 - Great Britain declares war on Spain. 1807 - France issues the Milan Decree, which confirms the Continental System. 1819 - Simón BolÃvar declares the independence of the Republic of Gran Colombia in Angostura (now Ciudad BolÃvar in Venezuela). 1834 - The Dublin and Kingstown Railway the first public railway on the island of Ireland, opens in Ireland. 1862 - American Civil War: General Ulysses S. Grant issues General Order No. 11, expelling Jews from Tennessee, Mississippi, and Kentucky. 1865 - First performance of the Unfinished Symphony by Franz Schubert. 1903 - The Wright Brothers make their first powered and heavier-than-air flight in the Wright Flyer at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. 1919 - Uruguay becomes a signatory to the Buenos Aires copyright treaty. 1926 - Antanas Smetona assumes power in Lithuania as the ‎1926 coup d'état‎ is successful. 1935 - First flight of the Douglas DC-3 airplane. 1939 - World War II: Battle of the River Plate - The Admiral Graf Spee is scuttled by Captain Hans Langsdorff outside Montevideo. 1941 - World War II: Beginning of the Siege of Sebastopol. 1941 - World War II: Japanese forces land in Northern Borneo. 1944 - World War II: Battle of the Bulge - Malmedy massacre - American 285th Field Artillery Observation Battalion POWs are shot by Waffen-SS Kampfgruppe Peiper. 1957 - The United States successfully launched the first Atlas intercontinental ballistic missile in Cape Canaveral, Florida. 1961 - History of Goa: Operation Vijay - India seizes Goa from Portugal. 1967 - Prime Minister of Australia Harold Holt disappears while swimming near Portsea, Victoria and was presumed drowned. 1969 - The SALT I talks begin. 1969 - Project Blue Book: The USAF closes its study of UFOs, stating that sightings were generated as a result of "A mild form of mass hysteria, Individuals who fabricate such reports to perpetrate a hoax or seek publicity, psychopathological persons, and misidentification of various conventional objects." 1970 - Polish 1970 protests: In Gdynia, soldiers fire at workers emerging from trains, killing dozens. 1973 - Terrorism: 30 passengers are killed in an attack by Palestinian terrorists on Rome's Leonardo da Vinci Airport. 1978 - The Workers Party of Jamaica is founded by Trevor Munroe. 1981 - Brigadier General James L. Dozier is abducted by the Red Brigade in Verona, Italy. 1981 - The Senegambia Confederation is founded. 1983 - The IRA bombs Harrods Department Store in London, killing six people. 1989 - Romanian Revolution: Protests continue in TimiÅŸoara with rioters breaking into the Romanian Communist Party's District Committee building and attempting to set it on fire. 1989 - First free elections in Brazil in 25 years. 1989 - The longest-running American sitcom The Simpsons had its debut. 1999 - The United Nations General Assembly passes resolution 54/134 designating November 25 as the annual International Day to Eliminate Violence Against Women. 2002 - Second Congo War: The Congolese parties of the Inter Congolese Dialogue sign a peace accord which makes provision for transitional governance and legislative and presidential elections within two years. 2003 - The Soham murder trial ends at the Old Bailey in London, with Ian Huntley found guilty of two counts of murder. His girlfriend Maxine Carr is found guilty of perverting the course of justice. 2003 - SpaceShipOne flight 11P, piloted by Brian Binnie, makes its first supersonic flight. 2005 - Anti-WTO protesters riot in Wan Chai, Hong Kong 2007 - Republic of Lakotah asserts independence from the United States
[edit] Births
1239 - Kujo Yoritsugu, Japanese Shogun (d. 1256) 1267 - Emperor Go-Uda of Japan (d. 1324) 1619 - Prince Rupert of the Rhine, commander in the English Civil War (d. 1682) 1632 - Anthony Wood, English antiqurian (d. 1695) 1685 - Thomas Tickell, English writer (d. 1740) 1706 - Émilie du Châtelet, French mathematician and physicist (d. 1749) 1734 - Maria I of Portugal, Portuguese queen (d. 1816) 1749 - Domenico Cimarosa, Italian composer (d. 1801) 1770 - (Baptism) - Ludwig van Beethoven, German composer (d. 1827) 1778 - Sir Humphry Davy, English chemist and physicist (d. 1829) 1796 - Thomas Chandler Haliburton, Canadian novelist (d. 1865) 1807 - John Greenleaf Whittier, American poet and abolitionist (d. 1892) 1830 - Jules de Goncourt, French publisher (d. 1870) 1835 - Alexander Emanuel Agassiz, American scientist; son of Louis Agassiz (d. 1847 - Émile Faguet, French writer and critic (d. 1916) 1853 - Émile Roux, French physician (d. 1933) 1859 - Paul César Helleu, French artist (d. 1927) 1873 - Ford Madox Ford, English writer (d. 1939) 1874 - William Lyon Mackenzie King, 10th Prime Minister of Canada (d. 1950) 1883 - Raimu, French actor (d. 1946) 1887 - Josef Lada, Czech painter (d. 1957) 1887 - Hermine Reuss, Empress of Germany and Duchess of Bohemia (d. 1947) 1888 - King Alexander I of Yugoslavia (d. 1934) 1892 - Sam Barry, American basketball coach (d. 1950) 1893 - Erwin Piscator, German film director (d. 1966) 1894 - Arthur Fiedler, American conductor (d. 1979) 1900 - Mary Cartwright, English mathematician (d. 1998) 1900 - Katina Paxinou, Greek actress (d. 1973) 1903 - Erskine Caldwell, American author (d. 1987) 1903 - Ray Noble, English bandleader and actor (d. 1978) 1904 - Paul Cadmus, American artist (d. 1999) 1905 - Simo Häyhä, Finnish sniper (d. 2002) 1905 - Érico Lopes VerÃssimo, Brazilian writer (d. 1975) 1906 - Fernando Lopes-Graça, Portuguese composer and musicologist (d. 1994) 1908 - Willard Frank Libby, American chemist, Nobel laureate (d. 1980) 1910 - Sy Oliver, American jazz arranger and bandleader (d. 1988) 1915 - André Claveau, French singer (d. 2003) 1916 - Penelope Fitzgerald, English writer (d. 2000) 1920 - Kenneth E. Iverson, Canadian computer scientist (d. 2004) 1922 - Alan Voorhees, American engineer and urban planner (d. 2005) 1923 - Jaroslav Pelikan, American historian (d. 2006) 1926 - Ray Jablonski, American baseball player (d. 1985) 1927 - Richard Long, American actor (d. 1974) 1929 - Jacqueline Hill, English actress (d. 1993) 1929 - William Safire, American columnist 1930 - Bob Guccione, American magazine publisher 1930 - Bob Mathias, American decathlete and congressman (d. 2006) 1930 - Armin Mueller-Stahl, German actor 1931 - Dave Madden, Canadian-born American actor 1934 - Ray Wilson, English footballer 1935 - George Lindsey, American actor 1935 - Cal Ripken, Sr., American baseball coach (d. 1999) 1936 - Tommy Steele, English singer and actor 1937 - Kerry Packer, Australian businessman (d. 2005) 1937 - John Kennedy Toole, American novelist (d. 1969) 1937 - Calvin Waller, US Army general (d. 1996) 1938 - Carlo Little, English drummer (d. 2005) 1938 - Peter Snell, New Zealand runner 1939 - Eddie Kendricks, American singer (The Temptations) (d. 1992) 1940 - KÃ¥re Valebrokk, Norwegian journalist 1942 - Paul Butterfield, American musician (d. 1987) 1943 - Mary Brunner, American former "Manson Family" member 1943 - Ron Geesin, Scottish musician and composer 1944 - Jack L. Chalker, American novelist (d. 2005) 1944 - Bernard Hill, English actor 1945 - Ernie Hudson, American actor 1945 - Chris Matthews, American journalist 1945 - Jacqueline Wilson, English author 1946 - Eugene Levy, Canadian actor 1947 - Wes Studi, American actor 1949 - Sotiris Kaiafas, Cypriot footballer 1949 - Paul Rodgers, English singer (Free; Bad Company) 1950 - Laurence F. Johnson, American educator 1951 - Ken Hitchcock, Canadian ice hockey coach 1951 - Tatyana Kazankina, Soviet athlete 1953 - Samuel Hadida, film distributor 1953 - Barry Livingston, American actor 1953 - Bill Pullman, American actor 1955 - Brad Davis, American basketball player 1956 - Peter Farrelly, American film director 1957 - Earl Hudson, American drummer (Bad Brains) 1958 - Mike Mills, American musician (R.E.M.) 1960 - Moreno Argentin, Italian cyclist 1961 - Sara Dallin, English singer (Bananarama) 1962 - Paul Dobson, English footballer 1962 - Richard Jewell, central figure in the 1996 Centennial Olympic Park bombing (d. 2007) 1962 - Rocco Mediate, American golfer 1964 - Ginger, English singer and guitarist (The Wildhearts) 1964 - Frank Musil, Czech ice hockey player 1964 - Joe Wolf, American basketball player 1964 - Michele Tafoya, American sportscaster 1965 - Craig Berube, Canadian ice hockey player 1966 - Tracy Byrd, American musician 1966 - Valeri Liukin, Soviet gymnast 1966 - Kristiina Ojuland, Estonian politician 1967 - Gigi D'Agostino, Italian DJ and musician 1967 - Vincent Damphousse, Canadian ice hockey player 1968 - Andrey Golovatiuk, Russian politician 1968 - Paul Tracy, Canadian race car driver 1969 - Chuck Liddell, American mixed martial artist 1969 - Chris Mason, English darts player 1970 - Sean Patrick Thomas, American actor 1971 - Alan Khan, South African radio disc jockey 1971 - Antoine Rigaudeau, French basketball player 1972 - John Abraham, Indian actor 1972 - Laurie Holden, American actress 1973 - Konstadinos Gatsioudis, Greek javelin thrower 1973 - Paula Radcliffe, English runner 1974 - Duff Goldman, American chef 1974 - Giovanni Ribisi, American actor 1974 - Sarah Paulson, American actress 1975 - Nick Dinsmore (Eugene), American professional wrestler 1975 - Milla Jovovich, Ukrainian-born actress 1975 - Bree Sharp, American singer/songwriter 1975 - Mayuko Aoki, Japanese voice actress 1976 - Éric Bédard, Canadian speed skater 1976 - Zsanett Égerházi, Hungarian-born porn actress 1976 - Nir Davidovich, Israeli footballer 1976 - Patrick Müller, Swiss footballer 1976 - Takeo Spikes, American football player 1977 - Arnaud Clement, French tennis player 1978 - Alex Cintrón, Puerto Rican baseball player 1978 - Riteish Deshmukh, Indian actor 1978 - Manny Pacquiao, Filipino boxer 1978 - Neil Sanderson, Canadian drummer (Three Days Grace) 1978 - Chase Utley, American baseball player 1979 - Jaimee Foxworth, American actress and porn star 1979 - Ryan Key, American musician and songwriter (Yellowcard) 1979 - Matt Murley, American ice hockey player 1980 - Ryan Hunter-Reay, American race car driver 1980 - Eli Pariser, American political activist (MoveOn.org) 1982 - Josh Barfield, American baseball player 1982 - Craig Kielburger, Canadian labour activist 1982 - Stephane Lasme, Gabonese basketball player 1982 - Ryan Moats, National Football League runningback 1983 - Erik Christensen, NHL player 1984 - Andrew Davies, English footballer 1985 - Ryuichi Ogata, member of Japanese boy band w-inds. 1986 - Vanessa Zima, American actress 1992 - Thomas Law, British Actor 1992 - Jordan Garrett, American actor 1994 - Nat Wolff, American actor, and singer-songwriter 2007 - James Windsor, Viscount Severn, son of Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex
[edit] Deaths
535 - Emperor Ankan of Japan (b. 466) 942 - William Longsword 1187 - Pope Gregory VIII 1195 - Baldwin V, Count of Hainaut (b. 1150) 1273 - Rumi (b.1207) 1663 - Nzinga of Ndongo and Matamba (b. 1583) 1721 - Richard Lumley, 1st Earl of Scarbrough, English statesman (b. 1640) 1830 - Simón BolÃvar, Venezuelan-born libertator, six nations (b. 1783) 1833 - Kaspar Hauser, German foundling (b. 1812) 1847 - Archduchess Marie Louise of Austria, second wife of Napoleon (b. 1791) 1860 - Désirée Clary, Queen of Sweden and Norway (b. 1777) 1907 - William Thomson, 1st Baron Kelvin, Irish-born physicist (b. 1824) 1909 - Léopold II of Belgium (b. 1835) 1917 - Elizabeth Garrett Anderson, English physician (b. 1836) 1917 - Frank Gotch, American professional wrestler (b. 1878) 1929 - Manuel Gomes da Costa, 96thPrime Minister of Portugal and 10thPresident of Portugal (b. 1863) 1933 - Thubten Gyatso, 13th Dalai Lama (b. 1876) 1940 - Alicia Boole Stott, Irish mathematician (b. 1860) 1957 - Dorothy L. Sayers, English writer (b. 1893) 1962 - Thomas Mitchell, American actor (b. 1892) 1964 - Victor Franz Hess, Austrian-born physicist, Nobel laureate (b. 1883) 1967 - Harold Holt, Australian Prime Minister (b. 1908) 1967 - Jack Perrin, American actor (b. 1896) 1978 - Don Ellis, American jazz band leader (b. 1934) 1982 - Homer S. Ferguson, American politician (b. 1889) 1987 - Linda Wong, American porn star (b. 1951) 1987 - Marguerite Yourcenar, Belgian novelist (b. 1903) 1992 - Dana Andrews, American actor (b. 1909) 1999 - Rex Allen, American actor, singer and songwriter (b. 1920) 1999 - Grover Washington, Jr., American saxophonist (b. 1943) 2002 - James Hazeldine, English actor (b. 1947) 2003 - Brian Lee, father of Wikipedia user, James Lee (b. 1948) 2003 - Ed Devereaux, Australian actor (b. 1925) 2003 - Otto Graham, American football player (b. 1921) 2004 - Tom Wesselmann, American collage artist (b. 1931) 2005 - Jack Anderson, American journalist (b. 1922) 2005 - Marc Favreau, French Canadian humourist (Sol) (b. 1929) 2006 - Larry Sherry, American baseball player (b. 1935)
[edit] Holidays and observances
Bhutan – National Day (1907) Greek Orthodox Church-Saint Barbaras day – Feast of Daniel the Prophet International Day to End Violence Against Sex Workers R.C. Saints – O Sapientia ; Saint Lazarus Roman festivals – Saturnalia, in honor of Saturn, began USA – Wright Brothers Day (by Presidential Proclamation)
[edit] External links
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