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On This Day in History — October 17
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Highlights of October 17
- 2001 — Rehavam Ze'evi, the Israeli minister of tourism, was assassinated in revenge for the killing of PFLP leader Abu Ali Mustafa. Read more
- 2000 — A fatal rail crash at Hatfield, Hertfordshire, led to the introduction of widespread speed limit reductions throughout the British rail network and eventually caused the collapse of the railway management group Railtrack. Read more
- 1992 — Having gone to the wrong house in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, for a Halloween party, Japanese exchange student Yoshihiro Hattori was shot and killed by the homeowner. Read more
- 1973 — Yom Kippur War: Egyptian forces retreated from the Battle of the Chinese Farm, allowing Israeli forces to build their first bridge across the Suez Canal. Read more
- 1964 — Prime Minister Robert Menzies inaugurated the artificial Lake Burley Griffin (pictured) in the centre of the Australian capital Canberra. Read more
- 1952 — Indonesian Army elements surrounded the Merdeka Palace in Jakarta, demanding that President Sukarno disband the Provisional People's Representative Council. Read more
- 1931 — American gangster Al Capone was convicted on five counts of income-tax evasion. Read more
- 1914 — Off the coast of the Dutch island of Texel, a British naval squadron sank the German 7th Half Flotilla of torpedo boats in the Battle off Texel. Read more
- 1860 — The Open Championship, the oldest of the four major championships in men's golf, was first played at Prestwick Golf Club in Scotland. Read more
- 1814 — A wooden beer-fermenting vat in London burst, destroying a second vat and causing a large flood of at least 128,000 imperial gallons (580,000 l; 154,000 US gal) of porter that killed eight people. Read more
- 1777 — American Revolutionary War: British general John Burgoyne's Saratoga campaign ended with his surrender to the Americans, later convincing France to enter the war in alliance with the United States. Read more
- 1771 — Ascanio in Alba, an opera composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (pictured) at the age of 15, premiered in Milan. Read more
- 1660 — A series of executions of the commissioners who signed the death warrant of King Charles I of England concluded; six were hanged, drawn and quartered for treason. Read more
- 1604 — German astronomer Johannes Kepler began observations of an exceptionally bright object, now known as Kepler's Supernova, that had appeared in the constellation Ophiuchus. Read more
- 1346 — Hundred Years' War: Under the terms of Scotland's Auld Alliance with France, King David II of Scotland (pictured) was captured at the Battle of Neville's Cross following his invasion of England. Read more
Events
- 2023 — An explosion at Al-Ahli Arab Hospital in Gaza kills hundreds of Palestinians during the Gaza war. Read more
- 2019 — Drug dealers in Culiacan, Sinaloa, Mexico force the government to back down on an arrest. Read more
- 2019 — The 17 October Revolution starts in Lebanon. Read more
- 2018 — The recreational use of cannabis is legalized in Canada. Read more
- 2018 — A mass shooting and bombing at Kerch Polytechnic College in Crimea kills 21 people including the attacker and injures 70 others. Read more
- 2017 — Syrian civil war: The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) capture the last foothold of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) in Raqqa, marking the end of the Battle of Raqqa. Read more
- 2004 — A fire that lasted over 15 hours destroyed almost one third of the East Tower of the Parque Central Urban Complex in Caracas, Venezuela. Read more
- 2001 — Israeli tourism minister Rehavam Ze'evi is assassinated by Hamdi Quran, a member of the PFLP, thus becoming the highest-ranking Israeli to be killed by a Palestinian. Read more
- 2000 — The Hatfield rail crash leads to the collapse of Railtrack. Read more
- 1994 — Russian journalist Dmitry Kholodov is assassinated while investigating corruption in the armed forces. Read more
- 1992 — Having gone to the wrong house, Japanese student Yoshihiro Hattori is killed by the homeowner in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Read more
- 1991 — Rudrapur bombings by Sikh separatists, who explode two bombs, during a Ramlila Hindu celebration in Rudrapur, Uttarakhand, killing 41 people. Read more
- 1989 — The 6.9 Mw Loma Prieta earthquake shakes the San Francisco Bay Area and the Central Coast, killing 63. Read more
- 1989 — The East German Politburo votes to remove Erich Honecker from his role as General Secretary. Read more
- 1988 — Uganda Airlines Flight 775 crashes at Rome–Fiumicino International Airport, in Rome, Italy, killing 33 people. Read more
- 1980 — As part of the Holy See–United Kingdom relations a British monarch makes the first state visit to the Vatican. Read more
- 1979 — Mother Teresa is awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. Read more
- 1979 — The Department of Education Organization Act creates the U.S. Department of Education. Read more
- 1977 — The hijacked Lufthansa Flight 181 lands in Mogadishu. The remaining hostages are later rescued. Read more
- 1975 — 'Salem's Lot, an American vampire novel by Stephen King, is published. Read more
- 1973 — OPEC imposes an oil embargo against countries they deem to have helped Israel in the Yom Kippur War. Read more
- 1970 — FLQ terrorists murder Quebec Vice-Premier and Minister of Labour Pierre Laporte. Read more
- 1969 — The Caravaggio painting Nativity with St. Francis and St. Lawrence is stolen from the Oratory of Saint Lawrence in Palermo. Read more
- 1966 — The 23rd Street Fire in New York City kills 12 firefighters. Read more
- 1965 — The 1964–65 New York World's Fair closes after two years and more than 51 million attendees. Read more
- 1961 — Directed by their chief Maurice Papon, Paris police massacre scores of Algerian protesters. Read more
- 1961 — The first attempt of the apartheid analogy by Ahmad Shukeiri. Read more
- 1956 — The first commercial nuclear power station is officially opened by Queen Elizabeth II in Sellafield, England. Read more
- 1952 — Indonesian Army elements surrounded the Merdeka Palace demanding President Sukarno disband the Provisional People's Representative Council. Read more
- 1945 — A large demonstration in Buenos Aires, Argentina, demands Juan Perón's release. Read more
- 1943 — The Burma Railway (Burma–Thailand Railway) is completed. Read more
- 1943 — Nazi Holocaust in Poland: Sobibór extermination camp is closed. Read more
- 1941 — World War II: The USS Kearny becomes the first U.S. Navy vessel to be torpedoed by a U-boat. Read more
- 1940 — The body of Communist propagandist Willi Münzenberg is found in South France, starting a never-resolved mystery. Read more
- 1933 — Albert Einstein flees Nazi Germany and moves to the United States. Read more
- 1931 — Al Capone is convicted of income tax evasion. Read more
- 1919 — Leeds United F.C. founded at Salem Chapel, Holbeck after the winding up of Leeds City F.C. for making illegal payments to players during World War I Read more
- 1912 — Bulgaria, Greece and Serbia declare war on the Ottoman Empire, joining Montenegro in the First Balkan War. Read more
- 1907 — Marconi begins the first commercial transatlantic wireless service. Read more
- 1861 — Aboriginal Australians kill nineteen Europeans in the Cullin-la-ringo massacre. Read more
- 1860 — First The Open Championship (referred to in North America as the British Open). Read more
- 1850 — Riots start, which lead to a massacre in Aleppo. Read more
- 1814 — Eight people die in the London Beer Flood. Read more
- 1811 — The silver deposits of Agua Amarga are discovered in Chile becoming in the following years instrumental for the Patriots to finance the Chilean War of Independence. Read more
- 1806 — Former leader of the Haitian Revolution, Emperor Jacques I, is assassinated after an oppressive rule. Read more
- 1800 — War of the Second Coalition: Britain takes control of the Dutch colony of Curaçao. Read more
- 1797 — Treaty of Campo Formio is signed between France and Austria, ending the War of the First Coalition. Read more
- 1781 — American Revolutionary War: British General Charles, Earl Cornwallis surrenders at the Siege of Yorktown. Read more
- 1777 — American Revolutionary War: British General John Burgoyne surrenders his army at Saratoga, New York. Read more
- 1771 — Premiere in Milan of the opera Ascanio in Alba, composed by Mozart at age 15. Read more
- 1713 — Great Northern War: Russia defeats Sweden in the Battle of Kostianvirta in Pälkäne. Read more
- 1662 — Charles II of England sells Dunkirk to Louis XIV of France for 40,000 pounds. Read more
- 1660 — The nine regicides who signed the death warrant of Charles I of England are hanged, drawn and quartered. Read more
- 1610 — French king Louis XIII is crowned in Reims Cathedral. Read more
- 1604 — Kepler's Supernova is observed in the constellation of Ophiuchus. Read more
- 1558 — Poczta Polska, the Polish postal service, is founded. Read more
- 1534 — Anti-Catholic posters appear in Paris and other cities supporting Huldrych Zwingli's position on the Mass. Read more
- 1456 — The University of Greifswald is established as the second oldest university in northern Europe. Read more
- 1448 — The second Battle of Kosovo begins between Hungarian forces under John Hunyadi and Ottoman forces under Murad II. Read more
- 1346 — The English capture King David II of Scotland at Neville's Cross and imprison him for eleven years. Read more
Born on October 17
- 2002 — Matthew Knies, American professional ice hockey player Read more
- 2002 — Lily, Australian-South Korean singer Read more
- 2001 — Thomas Strudwick, British motorcycle road racer Read more
- 1997 — Robert Williams III, American basketball player Read more
- 1996 — Jake DeBrusk, Canadian ice hockey player Read more
- 1995 — Jamal Adams, American football player Read more
- 1995 — Ha-seong Kim, South Korean baseball player Read more
- 1993 — Kenneth Omeruo, Nigerian footballer Read more
- 1993 — Vincent Poirier, French basketball player Read more
- 1992 — Jacob Artist, American actor, singer, and dancer Read more
- 1992 — Sam Concepcion, Filipino musician and dancer Read more
- 1992 — Anthony Gill, American basketball player Read more
- 1992 — Keerthy Suresh, Indian actress Read more
- 1991 — Brenda Asnicar, Argentine actress Read more
- 1990 — Paolo Campinoti, Italian footballer Read more
- 1990 — Maica García Godoy, Spanish water polo player Read more
- 1990 — Ronald González Tabilo, Chilean footballer Read more
- 1990 — Saki Kumagai, Japanese footballer Read more
- 1990 — Patrick Lambie, South African rugby player Read more
- 1989 — Débora García, Spanish footballer Read more
- 1989 — Oleksandr Isakov, Ukrainian swimmer Read more
- 1989 — Sophie Luck, Australian actress Read more
- 1989 — Charles Oliveira, Brazilian mixed martial artist Read more
- 1989 — David Timor, Spanish footballer Read more
- 1988 — Sergiy Gladyr, Ukrainian basketball player Read more
- 1988 — Tori Matsuzaka, Japanese actor and model Read more
- 1988 — Marina Salas, Spanish actress Read more
- 1987 — Bea Alonzo, Filipino actress and singer Read more
- 1987 — Jarosław Fojut, Polish footballer Read more
- 1987 — Elliot Grandin, French footballer Read more
- 1987 — Hideto Takahashi, Japanese footballer Read more
- 1986 — Alexandre Bonnet, French footballer Read more
- 1986 — Antoni Bou, Spanish motorcyclist Read more
- 1986 — Aija Brumermane, Latvian basketball player Read more
- 1986 — Constant Djakpa, Ivorian footballer Read more
- 1986 — Yannick Ponsero, French figure skater Read more
- 1986 — Nicolás Richotti, Argentine basketball player Read more
- 1985 — Carlos González, Venezuelan baseball player Read more
- 1985 — Max Irons, English-Irish actor Read more
- 1985 — Collins John, Dutch footballer Read more
Died on October 17
- 2024 — Mitzi Gaynor, American actress, singer, and dancer (born 1931) Read more
- 2024 — Toshiyuki Nishida, Japanese actor (born 1947) Read more
- 2024 — Andrew Schally, Polish-American endocrinologist (born 1926) Read more
- 2019 — Elijah Cummings, American politician and civil rights advocate (born 1951) Read more
- 2017 — Gord Downie, Canadian musician (born 1964) Read more
- 2015 — Danièle Delorme, French actress and producer (born 1926) Read more
- 2015 — Howard Kendall, English footballer and manager (born 1946) Read more
- 2015 — Anne-Marie Lizin, Belgian lawyer and politician (born 1949) Read more
- 2015 — Tom Smith, American businessman and politician (born 1947) Read more
- 2014 — Edwards Barham, American farmer and politician (born 1937) Read more
- 2014 — Masaru Emoto, Japanese author and activist (born 1943) Read more
- 2014 — Tom Shaw, American bishop (born 1945) Read more
- 2014 — Berndt von Staden, German diplomat, German Ambassador to the United States (born 1919) Read more
- 2013 — Mother Antonia, American-Mexican nun and activist (born 1926) Read more
- 2013 — Terry Fogerty, English rugby player and coach (born 1944) Read more
- 2013 — Arthur Maxwell House, Canadian neurologist and politician, 10th Lieutenant Governor of Newfoundland and Labrador (born 1926) Read more
- 2013 — Lou Scheimer, American animator, producer, and voice actor, co-founded the Filmation Company (born 1928) Read more
- 2013 — Rene Simpson, Canadian-American tennis player (born 1966) Read more
- 2012 — Milija Aleksic, English-South African footballer (born 1951) Read more
- 2012 — Émile Allais, French skier (born 1912) Read more
- 2012 — Henry Friedlander, German-American historian and author (born 1930) Read more
- 2012 — Stanford R. Ovshinsky, American scientist and businessman, co-founded Energy Conversion Devices (born 1922) Read more
- 2012 — Kōji Wakamatsu, Japanese director, producer, and screenwriter (born 1936) Read more
- 2011 — Carl Lindner, Jr., American businessman (born 1919) Read more
- 2009 — Norma Fox Mazer, American author and educator (born 1931) Read more
- 2009 — Vic Mizzy, American composer (born 1916) Read more
- 2008 — Urmas Ott, Estonian journalist and author (born 1955) Read more
- 2008 — Levi Stubbs, American singer (born 1936) Read more
- 2008 — Ben Weider, Canadian businessman, co-founded the International Federation of BodyBuilding & Fitness (born 1923) Read more
- 2007 — Joey Bishop, American actor and talk show host (born 1918) Read more
- 2007 — Teresa Brewer, American singer (born 1931) Read more
- 2007 — Suzy Covey, American scholar and academic (born 1939) Read more
- 2006 — Daniel Emilfork, Chilean-French actor (born 1924) Read more
- 2006 — Christopher Glenn, American journalist (born 1938) Read more
- 2004 — Uzi Hitman, Israeli singer-songwriter (born 1952) Read more
- 2002 — Derek Bell, Irish harpist and composer (born 1935) Read more
- 2001 — Jay Livingston, American singer-songwriter (born 1915) Read more
- 2001 — Micheline Ostermeyer, French shot putter, discus thrower, and pianist (born 1922) Read more
- 2001 — Rehavam Ze'evi, Israeli historian, general, and politician, Tourism Minister of Israel (born 1926) Read more
- 2000 — Leo Nomellini, Italian-American football player and wrestler (born 1924) Read more
Holidays & observances
Christian feast day:
Anstrudis; Christian feast day:
Catervus; Christian feast day:
Blessed Contardo Ferrini; Christian feast day:
Ethelred and Ethelberht; Christian feast day:
Florentius of Orange; Christian feast day:
François-Isidore Gagelin (one of Vietnamese Martyrs); Christian feast day:
Gilbert the Great; Christian feast day:
Hosea; Christian feast day:
Ignatius of Antioch; Christian feast day:
John the Short (John Colobus); Christian feast day:
John of Egypt; Christian feast day:
Marguerite Marie Alacoque (pre-1969 calendar, Visitadines); Christian feast day:
Nothhelm; Christian feast day:
Blessed Pietro Casani; Christian feast day:
Rufus and Zosimus; Christian feast day:
Rule of Andrew; Christian feast day:
Richard Gwyn; Christian feast day:
October 17 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics); International Day for the Eradication of Poverty; Loyalty Day (Argentina); National Police Day (Thailand); National Heroes Day (Somaliland)
Events, births and deaths from Wikipedia contributors, “October 17”, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Lists are selections; the full record lives at the source.