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
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
1805day.year
Muhammad Ali becomes Wāli of Egypt.
Muhammad Ali Pasha is appointed Wāli (governor) of Egypt, marking the beginning of his modernizing rule.
Muhammad Ali Pasha, of Albanian origin and an Ottoman military commander, became Wāli of Egypt on May 17, 1805. He embarked on sweeping reforms in agriculture, industry, and the military, laying the foundations of modern Egypt. His efforts to centralize power broke the influence of the Mamluk elites and strengthened Ottoman authority. Ali expanded Egyptian territories into Sudan and the Levant, aspiring for greater autonomy. His reign initiated a dynasty that ruled Egypt until the mid-20th century.
1805
Muhammad Ali
Wāli
Egypt
1809day.year
Emperor Napoleon I orders the annexation of the Papal States to the French Empire.
Napoleon I orders the annexation of the Papal States into the French Empire.
As part of his Italian campaign, Emperor Napoleon I decreed on May 17, 1809, that the Papal States would be absorbed into the French Empire. This bold move undermined papal sovereignty and extended French civil and legal systems into central Italy. The annexation provoked resistance among local populations and strained relations with the Catholic Church. Napoleon’s action reflected his ambition to consolidate French influence across Europe. The loss of temporal power by the papacy would not be fully restored until after his downfall.
1809
Napoleon I
Papal States
French Empire
1814day.year
Occupation of Monaco changes from French to Austrian.
Monaco’s occupation shifts from French to Austrian hands in the aftermath of the Napoleonic Wars.
Following Napoleon’s defeat, the Congress of Vienna restructured the map of Europe and reassigned territories held during the wars. On May 17, 1814, Austrian forces took over the defense and administration of Monaco from the French. This change reflected the broader restoration of traditional rulers and borders across the continent. Though Monaco’s sovereignty was limited under Austrian oversight, the principality maintained its local administration. Austrian occupation continued until Monaco’s transfer to Sardinia later in the 19th century.
1814
Occupation
Monaco
1814day.year
The Constitution of Norway is signed and Crown Prince Christian Frederick of Denmark is elected King of Norway by the Norwegian Constituent Assembly.
Norway adopts its constitution and elects Christian Frederick as king at Eidsvoll.
On May 17, 1814, delegates at Eidsvoll signed the Constitution of Norway, declaring national sovereignty and the separation of powers. Crown Prince Christian Frederick of Denmark was elected King of Norway by the Constituent Assembly. The constitution established a hereditary monarchy, a parliament, and protected civil liberties. Although later forced into a personal union with Sweden, Norway retained its own constitution and a high degree of autonomy. May 17 remains celebrated as Norwegian Constitution Day.
Constitution of Norway
Crown Prince
Christian Frederick
King of Norway
Norwegian Constituent Assembly
1914day.year
The Protocol of Corfu is signed, recognising full autonomy to Northern Epirus under nominal Albanian sovereignty.
The Protocol of Corfu grants Northern Epirus full autonomy under Albanian sovereignty.
On May 17, 1914, representatives of Albania and leaders of the local Greek population signed the Protocol of Corfu to resolve tensions following the Balkan Wars. The agreement granted Northern Epirus its own administration, parliament, and official recognition while remaining under Albanian sovereignty. It guaranteed cultural, educational, and religious rights for the Greek minority. Although the protocol aimed to secure peace and protect minority communities, its implementation was disrupted by the outbreak of World War I. Subsequent occupations and shifting borders left many provisions unfulfilled. Nevertheless, the Protocol of Corfu remains a significant early example of minority autonomy within a national framework.
1914
Protocol of Corfu
full autonomy
Northern Epirus
Albanian
1915day.year
The last British Liberal Party government (led by H. H. Asquith) falls.
H. H. Asquith's Liberal government falls, marking the end of unassisted Liberal rule in Britain.
On May 17, 1915, amid criticism over military setbacks and shortages on the Western Front, Prime Minister H. H. Asquith's Liberal government lost its majority support in the House of Commons. Political pressure from Conservative and Labour leaders led to the call for a national coalition government to prosecute World War I more effectively. Asquith agreed to include representatives from opposing parties, effectively ending sole Liberal governance. This shift marked the beginning of cross-party collaboration in British politics during the war. The merger diluted the influence of the Liberal Party and set the stage for its decline in subsequent decades. The coalition model would influence governance approaches in future national emergencies.
1915
British Liberal Party
H. H. Asquith
1933day.year
Vidkun Quisling and Johan Bernhard Hjort form Nasjonal Samling — the national-socialist party of Norway.
Vidkun Quisling and Johan Bernhard Hjort establish Nasjonal Samling as Norway’s national-socialist party.
On May 17, 1933, which coincided with Norwegian Constitution Day, army officer Vidkun Quisling and lawyer Johan Bernhard Hjort founded Nasjonal Samling (National Gathering), Norway’s fascist political party. Influenced by Nazi ideology, the party advocated authoritarian rule, nationalism, and anti-communism. Despite initial publicity, it struggled to gain widespread support in Norway’s democratic landscape. During the German occupation in World War II, Quisling’s name became synonymous with collaboration and treachery when he headed a puppet government. After the war, Nasjonal Samling was banned and its leaders prosecuted. The party’s formation remains a stark reminder of the global rise of fascist movements in the 1930s.
1933
Vidkun Quisling
Johan Bernhard Hjort
Nasjonal Samling
national-socialist
1973day.year
Watergate scandal: Televised hearings begin in the United States Senate.
Senate hearings on the Watergate scandal began on May 17, 1973, unveiling corrupt practices in President Nixon’s administration to the American public for the first time.
On May 17, 1973, the United States Senate’s Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities commenced televised hearings investigating the Watergate break-in and subsequent cover-up. The live broadcasts brought the scandal directly into American living rooms, capturing public attention nationwide. Key witnesses, including former White House officials, testified about illegal campaign financing and executive misconduct. The hearings revealed systematic abuses of power and eroded public trust in the presidency. Televising the proceedings set a precedent for government transparency and demonstrated the media’s role in accountability. The committee’s work ultimately led to the indictment of numerous administration figures and contributed to President Richard Nixon’s resignation in August 1974.
1973
Watergate scandal
United States Senate