1048day.year
Damasus II is elected pope, and dies 23 days later.
In 1048, Damasus II was elected pope but died just 23 days into his papacy.
Damasus II ascended to the papal throne in July 1048, taking office during a turbulent period for the medieval Church. His brief tenure of just 23 days remains one of the shortest papacies in history. Despite its brevity, his election was part of the broader struggle between secular and ecclesiastical powers over control of the papacy. Very little of his policy or leadership style is documented due to the sudden nature of his death. His passing paved the way for continued contestation over papal succession in the years that followed.
1048
Damasus II
1402day.year
Zhu Di, better known by his era name as the Yongle Emperor, assumes the throne over the Ming dynasty of China.
In 1402, Zhu Di seized the throne of the Ming dynasty and became known as the Yongle Emperor.
After leading a rebellion against his nephew, Jianwen Emperor, Zhu Di captured Nanjing and declared himself the Yongle Emperor in July 1402. His accession inaugurated one of the most dynamic reigns of the Ming dynasty, marked by major construction projects and administrative reforms. He moved the capital to Beijing and commissioned the building of the Forbidden City. Yongle also sponsored the famous maritime expeditions of Zheng He, expanding China’s influence across the Indian Ocean. His rule left an enduring legacy on Chinese culture, governance, and foreign relations.
1402
era name
Yongle Emperor
Ming dynasty
1429day.year
Hundred Years' War: Charles VII of France is crowned the King of France in the Reims Cathedral after a successful campaign by Joan of Arc.
In 1429, Charles VII was crowned King of France at Reims Cathedral following Joan of Arc’s pivotal military support.
During the Hundred Years’ War, French forces, inspired by Joan of Arc, marched triumphantly towards Reims in July 1429. Joan’s leadership lifted the siege of Orléans and shifted the momentum in favor of Charles VII. On July 17, Charles VII was officially crowned at Reims Cathedral, solidifying his claim to the throne. The coronation served as a powerful symbol of French resistance and national unity against English domination. Joan of Arc’s involvement forever cemented her status as a heroine of France and changed the course of the conflict.
1429
Hundred Years' War
Charles VII of France
crowned
Reims Cathedral
Joan of Arc
1489day.year
Sikandar Lodi succeeds Bahlul Khan Lodi as Sultan of Delhi.
In 1489, Sikandar Lodi succeeded his father Bahlul Khan Lodi as Sultan of the Delhi Sultanate.
Following the death of his father, Bahlul Khan Lodi, Sikandar Lodi ascended to the throne of the Delhi Sultanate in July 1489. His reign was marked by efforts to consolidate central authority and suppress regional rebellions. Sikandar strengthened the administrative machinery and implemented fiscal reforms to increase state revenue. He also promoted Islamic scholarship and built several mosques and madrassas in the capital. Under his leadership, the Lodi dynasty reached new heights before its eventual decline in the early 16th century.
1489
Sikandar Lodi
Bahlul Khan Lodi
Sultan of Delhi
1762day.year
Former emperor Peter III of Russia is murdered.
In 1762, the deposed Russian Emperor Peter III was murdered shortly after his overthrow.
After being forced to abdicate in June 1762, Peter III was detained at the palace of his brother-in-law, Prince Dolgorukov. On July 17, his captors carried out his murder, ending his life at the age of 34. His death removed any immediate threat to the reign of his wife, Catherine the Great, who succeeded him. The circumstances of his assassination remain shrouded in intrigues and court conspiracies. Peter’s brief reign and violent end have fueled centuries of speculation about palace politics in imperial Russia.
1762
Peter III of Russia
1791day.year
Members of the French National Guard under the command of General Lafayette open fire on a crowd of radical Jacobins at the Champ de Mars, Paris, during the French Revolution, killing scores of people.
During the tense early years of the French Revolution, Lafayette's troops fire on protesting Jacobins at the Champ de Mars, resulting in many casualties.
On July 17, 1791, political tension in Paris erupted when General Lafayette ordered the National Guard to disperse a gathering of radical Jacobins at the Champ de Mars. The crowd, demonstrating for a republic and the removal of King Louis XVI, was met with musket fire. Estimates of those killed vary, but scores perished in the incident. This massacre deepened divisions within revolutionary factions and tarnished Lafayette's reputation. The event highlighted the fragility of revolutionary ideals and the lengths leaders would go to maintain order amid political unrest.
1791
French National Guard
General Lafayette
open fire
Jacobins
Champ de Mars
French Revolution
1794day.year
The 16 Carmelite Martyrs of Compiègne are executed ten days prior to the end of the French Revolution's Reign of Terror.
A group of 16 Carmelite nuns at Compiègne are guillotined at the climax of the Reign of Terror just days before its end.
On July 17, 1794, sixteen Carmelite nuns imprisoned in Compiègne for their faith faced the guillotine. Despite offers to renounce their vows, they chose to remain steadfast, singing hymns on the way to their execution. Their sacrifice occurred ten days before the fall of Maximilien Robespierre and the end of the Reign of Terror. The public was moved by their unwavering devotion, and the event fueled growing opposition to the revolutionary government's harsh measures. Today, the Carmelite Martyrs are remembered as beacons of faith during one of France's bloodiest chapters.
1794
Carmelite
Martyrs of Compiègne
Reign of Terror
1821day.year
The Kingdom of Spain cedes the territory of Florida to the United States.
Spain formally transfers control of Florida to the United States following the Adams-Onís Treaty.
On July 17, 1821, Spain officially ceded Florida to the United States, concluding the Adams-Onís Treaty signed in 1819. Spanish negotiators, weakened by colony uprisings and European wars, agreed to the transfer to focus on their remaining possessions. This transfer ended nearly three centuries of Spanish colonial rule and expanded U.S. territory to the Gulf of Mexico. American forces raised the U.S. flag at St. Augustine, marking the beginning of Florida's integration into the young nation. The acquisition eased American construction of forts and settlement, shaping the state's future development.
1821
Kingdom of Spain
Florida
1917day.year
King George V issues a proclamation stating that the male line descendants of the British royal family will bear the surname Windsor.
Amid WWI anti-German sentiment, King George V renames the royal house to Windsor.
On July 17, 1917, in response to widespread anti-German sentiment during World War I, King George V issued a royal proclamation changing the family name from Saxe-Coburg and Gotha to Windsor. The proclamation applied to all male-line descendants of Queen Victoria who were British subjects, unifying the royal family's image under an English name. This reflected a more nationalistic identity and helped strengthen public support for the monarchy. The choice of Windsor evoked the historic royal castle and underscored national unity during wartime. The name change remains in use, shaping the identity of today's royal family.
1917
George V
British royal family
Windsor
1918day.year
Tsar Nicholas II of Russia and his immediate family and retainers are executed by Bolshevik Chekists at the Ipatiev House in Yekaterinburg, Russia.
The last Russian tsar, Nicholas II, is executed alongside his family by Bolshevik forces.
In the early hours of July 17, 1918, Bolshevik Chekists executed Tsar Nicholas II, his wife Alexandra, their five children, and loyal servants in the cellar of the Ipatiev House in Yekaterinburg. This act eliminated any rallying point for anti-Bolshevik forces during the Russian Civil War. News of the royal family's brutal demise shocked the world and marked a definitive end to three centuries of Romanov rule. For decades, the execution site was kept secret until the family's remains were found and authenticated in the 1990s. The tragic event remains a powerful symbol of revolutionary upheaval in Russia.
1918
Tsar Nicholas II
Russia
are executed
Bolshevik
Chekists
Ipatiev House
Yekaterinburg
Russia
1919day.year
The form of government in the Republic of Finland is officially confirmed. For this reason, July 17 is known as the Day of Democracy (Kansanvallan päivä) in Finland.
On July 17, 1919, Finland formally adopted a republican constitution, establishing its democratic government and inaugurating the annual Day of Democracy.
Following Finland’s independence from Russia in 1917, the question of governance was hotly debated. On July 17, 1919, the Finnish Parliament ratified the republican constitution, formally defining the nation’s democratic institutions and presidential powers. This decision ended monarchical proposals and affirmed parliamentary democracy. The anniversary is celebrated annually as Kansanvallan päivä, the Day of Democracy. Citizens and civic groups hold events, discussions, and ceremonies to honor Finland’s democratic values and history.
1919
Republic of Finland
1945day.year
World War II: The main three leaders of the Allied nations, Winston Churchill, Harry S. Truman and Joseph Stalin, meet in the German city of Potsdam to decide the future of a defeated Germany.
On July 17, 1945, Churchill, Truman, and Stalin convened in Potsdam to negotiate postwar terms for Germany and shape the new world order.
Following the defeat of Nazi Germany, the leaders of the United Kingdom, the United States, and the Soviet Union met at Cecilienhof Palace in Potsdam. Over five weeks, they negotiated key decisions on Germany’s demilitarization, reparations, and territorial adjustments. Debates also addressed the governance of occupied zones and the prosecution of war criminals. The conference revealed growing tensions between the Western Allies and the USSR, foreshadowing the Cold War. Churchill was replaced by Clement Attlee midway through the talks after losing the British general election. The agreements reached at Potsdam shaped Europe’s political map and laid groundwork for both cooperation and confrontation in the emerging bipolar world.
1945
Allied
Winston Churchill
Harry S. Truman
Joseph Stalin
meet
Potsdam