What Happened on Oct 17

Battle Of La Forbie

The Battle of La Forbie, also known as the Battle of Harbiyah, was fought October 17, 1244 – October 18, 1244 between the allied armies (drawn from... Read more

Cosim de' Migliorati (Innocent VII) elected Pope

Pope Innocent VII, born Cosimo de' Migliorati (c. 1336 – November 6, 1406), was briefly Pope at Rome, from 1404 to his death, during the Western... Read more

Plymouth Colony Annexed to Massachusetts Bay Colony

In 1686, the entire region was reorganized under a single government known as the Dominion of New England; this included the colonies of Plymouth,... Read more

Mozart Performs "Ascanio in Alba" for the First Time at Archduke Ferdinand's Wedding

Ascanio in Alba is performed to celebrate the wedding of Archduke Ferdinand of Austria and Princess Maria Beatrice Ricciarda d'Este of Modena. Read more

Treaty of Campo Formio

The Treaty of Campo Formio or Peace of Campo Formio was signed on 17 October 1797 (26 Vendémiaire, Year VI of the French Republic) by Napoleon... Read more

The Treaty Of Fort Confederation Is Signed

The Treaty of Fort Confederation was signed on October 17, 1802 between the Choctaw (an American Indian tribe) and the United States Government.... Read more

Assassination of Jean Jacques Dessalines

In January 1804, Dessalines, preferring Napoleon’s style rather than the more liberal yet vulnerable type of political government of the French... Read more

London Beer Flood

The London Beer Flood occurred on October 17, 1814 in the parish of St. Giles, London, England. At the Meux and Company Brewery on Tottenham Court... Read more

President James Monroe Writes A Letter To Thomas Jefferson

On October 17, 1823, President James Monroe wrote a letter to his friend and Virginia neighbor Thomas Jefferson seeking advice on foreign policy.... Read more

1910 World Series

The 1910 World Series featured the Philadelphia Athletics and the Chicago Cubs, with the Athletics winning in five games to earn their first... Read more

Babe Ruth marries Helen Woodford

Shortly after the season, in which he'd finished with a 2-1 record, Ruth proposed to Helen Woodford, a waitress whom he had met in Boston. They... Read more

Imperial German Navy Torpedo Boat S-90 Sinks Japanese Cruiser Takachiho in the Largest Single Loss of Life for Japanese Forces During the War

As the Japanese approached his position, the German Commander withdrew his forces from the two outer defensive lines and concentrated his troops on... Read more

"Mr. Smith Goes To Washington" Is Released

Mr. Smith Goes to Washington is an American 1939 comedy/drama film starring James Stewart and Jean Arthur, about one man's effect on American... Read more

Germany Launches Counteroffensive Against the Slovak Uprising

On September 19 German command replaced SS-Obergruppenführer Berger, who had been in charge of the troops fighting the Uprising, with General... Read more

"Jailhouse Rock" Is Released

Jailhouse Rock is an American motion picture directed by Richard Thorpe, released by MGM on October 17, 1957. The film stars Elvis Presley (his... Read more

U-2 Photograph of First IRBM Site Under Construction is Taken

U-2 flights identify the first of three Soviet SS-5 missile sites. The SS-5s have ranges of up to 2,200 nautical miles. The military estimates that... Read more

Rolling Stones Release '12 X 5'

12 X 5 is the second American album by The Rolling Stones released in 1964 following the massive success of their debut The Rolling Stones in the... Read more

"Georgy Girl" Is Released

Georgy Girl is a 1966 British film based on a novel by Margaret Forster. The film was directed by Silvio Narizzano and starred Lynn Redgrave as... Read more

"Bullitt" Is Released

Bullitt is a 1968 American thriller film starring Steve McQueen. It was directed by Peter Yates and distributed by Warner Bros. The story was... Read more

Ziggy Marley is born

David Nesta "Ziggy" Marley (born October 17, 1968, Trenchtown, Jamaica) is a four time Grammy-winning Jamaican musician and leader of the band... Read more

Stephen King publishes 'Salem's Lot

'Salem's Lot is a 1975 Horror fiction novel written by Stephen King. It is set in the same location as "Jerusalem's Lot", a short story from Night... Read more

The Color of Money is Released

The Color of Money is a 1984 novel by American writer Walter Tevis, continuing the story of Edward "Fast Eddie" Felson from The Hustler (1959). The... Read more

1987 World Series

The 1987 World Series, in which the Minnesota Twins defeated the St. Louis Cardinals, was the first World Series in which the home team won all... Read more

Loma Prieta Earthquake

The time was 5:04 pm on October 17, 1989. Sixty-two thousand baseball fans were preparing to watch the San Francisco Giants and Oakland A's in what... Read more

Kiss releases Hot in the Shade

Hot in the Shade is a Kiss album released in 1989. It was certified Gold on December 20, 1989 by the RIAA. It is the first Kiss studio album since... Read more