August 17
Overview
Holidays & Observances
Christianfeast day:
Saint Beatrice of Silva, Saint Clare of Montefalco, Saint Hyacinth of Poland, Saint Jeanne Delanoue, Saint Mammes of Caesarea, Samuel Johnson,Timothy Cutler, andThomas Bradbury Chandler(Episcopal Church), August 17 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
A liturgical observance honoring multiple Christian saints across Western and Eastern traditions.
Engineer's Day(Colombia)
A day celebrating the achievements and contributions of engineers across Colombia.
Independence Day, celebrates theindependence proclamationofIndonesiafrom Japan in 1945.
National holiday commemorating Indonesia’s proclamation of independence on August 17, 1945.
Saint Beatrice of Silva
Saint Clare of Montefalco
Saint Hyacinth of Poland
Saint Jeanne Delanoue
Saint Mammes of Caesarea
Samuel Johnson,Timothy Cutler, andThomas Bradbury Chandler(Episcopal Church)
Events
Pope Eusebius dies, possibly from a hunger strike, shortly after being banished by the Emperor Maxentius to Sicily.
Pope Eusebius died shortly after being exiled to Sicily by Emperor Maxentius, reportedly as a result of a hunger strike.
Pope Leo II begins his pontificate.
Pope Leo II began his pontificate in Rome, focusing on consolidating the decisions of the Third Council of Constantinople.
Byzantine–Bulgarian wars: Battle of the Gates of Trajan: The Bulgarians under the Comitopuli Samuel and Aron defeat the Byzantine forces at the Gate of Trajan, with Byzantine Emperor Basil II barely escaping.
In 986, the Bulgarians led by Samuel and Aron defeated Byzantine forces at the Gates of Trajan, nearly capturing Emperor Basil II.
Georgenberg Pact: Ottokar IV, Duke of Styria and Leopold V, Duke of Austria sign a heritage agreement in which Ottokar gives his duchy to Leopold and to his son Frederick under the stipulation that Austria and Styria would henceforth remain undivided.
Ottokar IV of Styria and Leopold V of Austria signed the Georgenberg Pact, ensuring their duchies would remain united under Leopold’s heirs.
Karl Topia, the ruler of Princedom of Albania forges an alliance with the Republic of Venice, committing to participate in all wars of the Republic and receiving coastal protection against the Ottomans in return.
Karl Topia of Albania allied with Venice in a pact against Ottoman expansion, securing coastal protection and military support.
Hundred Years' War: Battle of Verneuil: An English force under John, Duke of Bedford defeats a larger French army under Jean II, Duke of Alençon, John Stewart, and Earl Archibald of Douglas.
At the Battle of Verneuil, English forces under the Duke of Bedford defeated a larger Franco-Scottish army during the Hundred Years’ War.
Konrad Bitz, the Bishop of Turku, marks the date of his preface to Missale Aboense, the oldest known book of Finland.
Konrad Bitz, Bishop of Turku, dated his preface to the Missale Aboense, Finland’s oldest known printed book, marking a milestone in Finnish literature.
Cesare Borgia, son of Pope Alexander VI, becomes the first person in history to resign the cardinalate; later that same day, King Louis XII of France names him Duke of Valentinois.
Cesare Borgia became the first person to resign the cardinalate before being granted the title Duke of Valentinois by King Louis XII.
Battle of Sampford Courtenay: The Prayer Book Rebellion is quashed in England.
The Battle of Sampford Courtenay saw government forces crush the Prayer Book Rebellion, ending the uprising against the English Book of Common Prayer.
Births
William IX
Medieval French noble who became Count of Poitiers as an infant and died in early childhood.
Philibert I
Duke of Savoy who ascended the throne as a child and died unmarried at 17.
Richard of Shrewsbury
Second son of King Edward IV, one of the Princes in the Tower whose disappearance remains a historic mystery.
Philipp II
German noble of the House of Hanau who ruled Hanau-Münzenberg during the early Reformation period.
Alexander Briant
English Jesuit priest and martyr, executed for his faith and later canonized among the Forty Martyrs of England and Wales.
Francesco Albani
Italian Baroque painter of the Bolognese School, celebrated for his mythological and religious frescoes.
Johann
First Prince of the Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen dynasty, established its principality in southwestern Germany.
John Matthew Rispoli
Maltese Aristotelian philosopher known for his scholarly works on metaphysics and natural philosophy.
Johann Valentin Andrea
German Lutheran theologian and author of early Rosicrucian manifestos and utopian literature.
Deaths
Carloman
Carloman was a Carolingian noble who served as Mayor of the Palace of Austrasia in the mid-8th century, helping to consolidate his family's power before retiring to monastic life.
Li Shouzhen
Li Shouzhen was a Chinese general and regional governor during the Five Dynasties period, best known for leading a rebellion against the Later Han dynasty.
Eustace IV
Eustace IV was Count of Boulogne and the eldest son of King Stephen of England, whose death in 1153 helped resolve the civil war known as The Anarchy.
Emperor Go-Fukakusa was the 89th emperor of Japan who reigned from 1246 to 1260 during the Kamakura period.
Nitta Yoshisada
Nitta Yoshisada was a Japanese samurai commander who led imperial forces in overthrowing the Kamakura shogunate.
John Stewart
John Stewart, Earl of Buchan, was a Scottish nobleman and military commander who fought for France during the Hundred Years’ War.
Edmund Dudley
Edmund Dudley was an English statesman and financial minister under King Henry VII, notorious for his rigorous tax collection policies and execution under Henry VIII.
Richard Empson
Richard Empson was an English lawyer and advisor to King Henry VII, known for his role in enforcing financial penalties and his subsequent execution by Henry VIII.