1395day.year
Battle of Rovine: The Wallachians defeat an invading Ottoman army.
In 1395, Wallachian forces ambushed and defeated the invading Ottoman army at the Battle of Rovine.
The Battle of Rovine was fought on May 17, 1395, between Wallachian Voivode Mircea the Elder and the forces of Ottoman Sultan Bayezid I. Located near the marshy terrain of Rovine, the Wallachians used the landscape to their advantage, inflicting heavy losses on the Ottomans. This decisive victory halted Ottoman expansion into Wallachia for several years and bolstered Mircea's reputation as a defender of Christian Europe. Despite being outnumbered, the Wallachians executed effective defensive tactics. The engagement became a symbol of national resistance in Romanian history and showcased the volatile power dynamics in the Balkans.
1395
Battle of Rovine
Wallachians
Ottoman
1521day.year
Edward Stafford, 3rd Duke of Buckingham, is executed for treason.
Edward Stafford, the 3rd Duke of Buckingham, was executed for treason by order of King Henry VIII in 1521.
On May 17, 1521, Edward Stafford, one of England's highest-ranking nobles and a direct descendant of Edward III, was beheaded at Tower Hill after being accused of plotting against King Henry VIII. His rapid downfall highlighted the growing paranoia and political intrigue of the Tudor court. Historians believe the charges were largely fabricated to remove a potential rival to the throne. The execution underscored the lethal consequences of falling out of royal favor and set a stark precedent for future purges of the nobility during the English Reformation.
1521
Edward Stafford, 3rd Duke of Buckingham
1527day.year
Pánfilo de Narváez departs Spain to explore Florida with 600 men – by 1536 only four survive.
In 1527, Pánfilo de Narváez embarked from Spain with 600 men to explore and conquer Florida, an expedition that ended in disaster.
On May 17, 1527, Spanish conquistador Pánfilo de Narváez set sail from Sanlúcar de Barrameda leading five ships and 600 soldiers, aiming to establish Spanish control over Florida. The expedition was beset by storms, hostile encounters with indigenous peoples, and navigational errors. By 1536, only four survivors arrived in Mexico City after enduring shipwrecks and brutal conditions. Their harrowing journey, especially the accounts of Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca, became legendary tales of endurance and survival. The failure underscored the immense risks of early New World exploration and had lasting repercussions for Spanish colonial ambitions.
1527
Pánfilo de Narváez
explore Florida
1536day.year
George Boleyn, 2nd Viscount Rochford and four other men are executed for treason.
George Boleyn, Viscount Rochford, and four associates were executed for treason in 1536, amid the downfall of Anne Boleyn.
On May 17, 1536, George Boleyn, 2nd Viscount Rochford, brother of Queen Anne Boleyn, was executed at the Tower Green on charges of treason, incest, and adultery. He was condemned alongside four other men in what many historians view as a politically motivated purge by King Henry VIII. The swift trial and execution aimed to dismantle Anne's influence and clear the way for Henry to remarry. George’s death was a pivotal moment leading up to Anne’s own execution three days later. This dramatic episode illustrates the deadly interplay of power, allegations, and royal ambition in Tudor England.
1536
George Boleyn, 2nd Viscount Rochford
1536day.year
Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn's marriage is annulled.
On May 17, 1536, King Henry VIII's marriage to Anne Boleyn was annulled, clearing the way for his next union.
Two days after Anne Boleyn's execution, an Act of Parliament and a church court declared Henry VIII’s marriage to Anne null and void on May 17, 1536. The annulment cited a supposed pre-contract Anne had with another man, providing the legal basis for dissolution. This move underscored Henry's authority over both state and church and paved the way for his marriage to Jane Seymour in pursuit of a male heir. The formal separation had profound religious and political implications, reinforcing the English monarch's supremacy over the Church of England and shaping the course of the English Reformation.
Henry VIII
Anne Boleyn
1590day.year
Anne of Denmark is crowned Queen of Scotland.
Anne of Denmark was crowned Queen Consort of Scotland on May 17, 1590, alongside her husband, King James VI.
On May 17, 1590, Anne of Denmark, daughter of King Frederick II of Denmark, was crowned Queen Consort of Scotland in Holyrood Abbey. The ceremony featured elaborate pageantry, music, and fireworks, reflecting diplomatic ties between Scotland and Denmark. Her marriage to James VI had been arranged to strengthen Protestant alliances in Northern Europe. As queen, Anne patronized the arts and introduced continental cultural customs to the Scottish court. Her coronation marked the union of two royal houses and foreshadowed the eventual union of crowns with England in 1603.
1590
Anne of Denmark
Queen
Scotland
1642day.year
Paul de Chomedey, Sieur de Maisonneuve founds the Ville Marie de Montréal.
Paul de Chomedey de Maisonneuve founded Ville Marie (modern-day Montreal) in 1642, establishing a key French settlement in North America.
On May 17, 1642, French officer Paul de Chomedey, Sieur de Maisonneuve, led a group of settlers to the island of Montreal and established Ville Marie at the confluence of the Saint Lawrence and Ottawa rivers. Sponsored by the Société Notre-Dame de Montréal, the mission aimed to convert Indigenous peoples and expand New France. Early colonists built fortifications and religious missions to defend against Iroquois raids. Over time, Ville Marie grew into a vital fur-trading post and gateway for further exploration. This foundation event laid the cultural and economic groundwork for Canada’s future metropolis, honoring Maisonneuve’s enduring vision.
1642
Paul de Chomedey, Sieur de Maisonneuve
Ville Marie de Montréal
1648day.year
An allied French and Swedish army defeats Imperial and Bavarian forces in the Battle of Zusmarshausen.
In 1648, an allied French and Swedish army defeated Imperial and Bavarian forces at the Battle of Zusmarshausen, near the end of the Thirty Years' War.
Fought on May 17, 1648, near Zusmarshausen in Bavaria, allied French and Swedish troops under Henri de la Tour d'Auvergne and Carl Gustaf Wrangel clashed with Imperial and Bavarian forces led by Matthias Gallas. The allies executed a coordinated attack with superior artillery, routing their opponents and opening the path to Augsburg. As one of the final pitched battles of the Thirty Years' War, this victory weakened Habsburg power in Germany and accelerated the peace negotiations leading to the Peace of Westphalia. The engagement is remembered for its combined operations and strategic impact on European politics.
1648
Battle of Zusmarshausen
1673day.year
Louis Jolliet and Jacques Marquette begin exploring the Mississippi River.
In 1673, Louis Jolliet and Jacques Marquette embarked on the first European expedition to map and explore the Mississippi River.
On May 17, 1673, French-Canadian explorer Louis Jolliet and Jesuit missionary Jacques Marquette set out from St. Ignace (present-day Michigan) in canoes to chart the Mississippi River’s course. Over several months, they traveled more than 2,000 miles, documenting Indigenous villages, river routes, and natural landmarks. Their detailed maps and observations provided France with vital claims to the interior of North America and informed future colonization efforts. Along the way, they forged alliances with Native American tribes and recorded diverse customs. This groundbreaking voyage remains a landmark in the exploration and mapping of the continent.
1673
Louis Jolliet
Jacques Marquette
Mississippi River
1756day.year
Seven Years' War formally begins when Great Britain declares war on France.
On May 17, 1756, Great Britain declared war on France, officially launching the global conflict known as the Seven Years' War.
Great Britain’s declaration of war against France on May 17, 1756, marked the formal start of the Seven Years' War, a global struggle over colonial and territorial supremacy. In North America, known as the French and Indian War, British and colonial forces clashed with French troops and their Indigenous allies. Simultaneously, theaters of conflict opened in Europe, West Africa, the Caribbean, and India. The war reshaped colonial empires, leading to British dominance in Canada and significant gains in India. The extensive military campaigns and financial strains on European powers set the stage for future revolutions. Often hailed as the first 'world war,' its outcomes influenced geopolitics for decades.
1756
Seven Years' War
Great Britain
France
1760day.year
French forces besieging Quebec retreat after the Royal Navy arrives to relieve the British garrison.
French troops lift the siege of Quebec as British naval reinforcements arrive.
During the French and Indian War, French forces had besieged the British-held city of Quebec, aiming to reclaim control over New France. On May 17, 1760, a squadron of the Royal Navy broke the siege lines, forcing the French to withdraw. This strategic naval intervention secured British dominance in the region and marked a turning point in North American colonial power struggles. The retreat ended a protracted siege and preserved the British garrison, shaping the future of Canada. The event demonstrated the critical impact of naval power on land campaigns.
1760
besieging Quebec
Royal Navy
1792day.year
The New York Stock Exchange is formed under the Buttonwood Agreement.
The New York Stock Exchange is established under the Buttonwood Agreement in New York City.
In 1792, twenty-four stockbrokers gathered under a buttonwood tree on Wall Street to sign the Buttonwood Agreement, forming the New York Stock Exchange. This pact set commission rates and created rules for trading securities, laying the groundwork for organized market operations. Over the centuries, the NYSE evolved into the world’s largest stock exchange by market capitalization. It introduced innovations such as the ticker tape and electronic trading platforms. The NYSE has remained at the heart of global finance, influencing economic activity worldwide.
1792
New York Stock Exchange
Buttonwood Agreement