Today In History, 17 February
Historical Events On This Day
- In 1510, Portuguese admiral Afonso de Albuquerque conquered the city of Goa in India without much resistance.
- In 1600, Italian philosopher Giordano Bruno was burned alive at Campo de’ Fiori in Rome for charges of heresy by the Roman Inquisition.
- In 1739, the Battle of Vasai began between the Marathas and the Portuguese.
- In 1815, the Treaty of Ghent between the United States and the United Kingdom to end the War of 1812 was ratified.
- In 1843, the British won the Battle of Miani and acquired the Sindh province in Pakistan.
- In 1864, during the American Civil War, the H. L. Hunley became the first submarine to engage and sink a warship, the USS Housatonic.
- In 1867, the first ship passed through the Suez Canal.
- In 1944, the key World War II battle of Eniwetok began with US forces landing on Canna and Camelia islets in the Pacific.
- In 1972, the British Parliament voted to join the European Common Market.
- In 1979, China invaded Vietnam over its growing ties with the Soviet Union and interference in Khmer Rouge-ruled Cambodia.
- In 1992, American serial killer and cannibal Jeffrey Dahmer was sentenced to 15 consecutive life terms for multiple brutal murders.
- In 2008, Kosovo declared independence from Serbia.
- In 2017, the discovery of a new, mostly underwater continent, Zealandia, in the South Pacific was announced.
Sports Events Today
- In 1996, Russian chess star Garry Kasparov defeated the computer Deep Blue 4-2.
- In 2016, Nike ended its endorsement deal with Filipino boxing legend Manny Pacquiao over his homophobic comments.
Art and Culture Events Today
- In 1904, Italian composer Giacomo Puccini’s “Madama Butterfly” premiered at La Scala in Milan, becoming one of the most frequently performed operas ever.
- In 1913, the Armory Show opened to the public in New York City, displaying the works of artists who later became some of the most influential painters of the early 20th century.
- In 1936, the world’s first superhero, The Phantom, made his debut in Lee Falk’s cartoon strip comics.
Notable Deaths On This Day
| Sr No | Death Year | Personality |
| 1 | 1673 | Moliere, French playwright, actor and poet considered to be one of the greatest writers in French language and world literature |
| 2 | 1856 | Heinrich Heine, German poet, writer and literary critic |
| 3 | 1883 | Vasudev Balwant Phadke, Indian revolutionary and independence activist who was one of the first to pick up arms against the British and even gained control of Pune for a few days |
| 4 | 1890 | Christopher Latham Sholes, American inventor responsible for creating the QWERTY keyboard and co-inventing the typewriter |
| 5 | 1982 | Thelonius Monk, American jazz pianist and composer |
| 6 | 1986 | Jiddu Krishnamurthy, Indian philosopher, speaker, writer and spiritual teacher |
| 7 | 2016 | Andrzej Zulawski, Polish filmmaker known for his arthouse hits like Possession and The Devil |
Famous Birthdays On This Day
| Sr No | Birth Year | Personality |
| 1 | 1792 | Budhu Bhagat, Indian freedom fighter who engaged in guerilla warfare against the British and led the Koi and Larka rebellions in Chhotanagpur |
| 2 | 1929 | Alejandro Jodorowsky, Chilean-French filmmaker and artist known for his unconventional avant-garde films like The Holy Mountain and El Topo |
| 3 | 1942 | Huey P. Newton, African-American civil rights activist who led and co-founded the Black Panther Party |
| 4 | 1955 | Mo Yan, Chinese novelist and Nobel laureate |
| 5 | 1963 | Michael Jordan, American basketball star who is considered the greatest and most popular player in the history of basketball |
| 6 | 1970 | Dominic Purcell, English-Australian actor known for his central role in the popular American television series Prison Break |
| 7 | 1971 | Denise Richards, American actress, model and television personality who played the bond girl in the film The World ins Not Enough |
| 8 | 1972 | Billie Joe Armstrong, American musician and co-founder of the rock band Green Day |
| 9 | 1984 | AB de Villiers, South African cricketer and former captain known for his agile fielding and explosive batting |
| 10 | 1988 | Vasyl Lomachenko, Ukrainian boxer who is one of the most accomplished amateur boxer with a shocking 396-1 amateur record and a 17-2 pro record |
| 11 | 1991 | Ed Sheeran, English singer-songwriter who is among the best-selling and most beloved artists of the decade and is known for his songs “Shape of You” and “Castle on the Hill” |
| 1991 | Jeremy Allen White, American actor who rose to fame in 2022 with his terrific performance in the cooking TV show The Bear |