October 17
Overview
Holidays & Observances
Christianfeast day:
Andrew of Crete, Anstrudis, Catervus, Ethelred and Ethelberht, Florentius of Orange, François-Isidore Gagelin(one ofVietnamese Martyrs), Hosea, Ignatius of Antioch, John the Short (John Colobus), Marguerite Marie Alacoque(pre-1969 calendar, Visitadines), Nothhelm, Rule of Andrew, Richard Gwyn, Victor of Capua, October 17 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
A collection of feast days honoring various Christian saints observed on October 17 across different traditions.
International Day for the Eradication of Poverty
An annual United Nations observance dedicated to raising awareness and action for ending poverty worldwide.
Loyalty Day (Argentina)
A national holiday in Argentina marking the mass demonstrations of October 17, 1945, that led to the release of Juan Domingo Perón.
National Police Day (Thailand)
Thailand’s observance honoring the founding of the Royal Thai Police and commemorating the service of law enforcement officers.
National Heroes Day (Somaliland)
A public holiday in Somaliland honoring those who fought for the region’s independence.
Andrew of Crete
A feast day celebrating Saint Andrew of Crete, a renowned Byzantine hymnographer and theologian.
Anstrudis
Feast day of Saint Anstrudis, a 7th-century abbess celebrated for her leadership at Nivelles Abbey.
Catervus
Commemoration of Saint Catervus, a local Italian saint venerated for his missionary zeal and martyrdom.
Ethelred and Ethelberht
Feast day honoring Saint Ethelred and Saint Ethelberht, two Anglo-Saxon princes celebrated as child martyrs.
Events
Empress Wu Zetian establishes the Zhou Dynasty of China.
Empress Wu Zetian founds the Zhou Dynasty, becoming the sole female emperor in Chinese history and reshaping the Tang imperial structure.
London tornado of 1091: A tornado thought to be of strength T8/F4 strikes the heart of London.
A powerful tornado, estimated T8/F4, tears through medieval London, one of the earliest recorded in England.
The English capture King David II of Scotland at Neville's Cross and imprison him for eleven years.
At the Battle of Neville's Cross, English forces capture Scotland's King David II, altering the course of the Second War of Scottish Independence.
An Ottoman army defeats a Hungarian army at the Second Battle of Kosovo.
In the Second Battle of Kosovo, the Ottoman Empire secures a crucial victory over Hungarian forces, consolidating its power in the Balkans.
The University of Greifswald is established as the second oldest university in northern Europe.
The University of Greifswald opens its doors, becoming the second oldest university in northern Europe and a center of medieval learning.
Anti-Catholic posters appear in Paris and other cities supporting Huldrych Zwingli's position on the Mass.
Anti-Catholic posters defending Huldrych Zwingli's critiques of the Mass appear across Paris, igniting controversy within the French Church.
Poczta Polska, the Polish postal service, is founded.
Poczta Polska, the national postal service of Poland, is established, laying the foundation for organized communication across the kingdom.
Kepler's Supernova is observed in the constellation of Ophiuchus.
Astronomers witness Kepler's Supernova in Ophiuchus, the last supernova observed in our galaxy to date.
French king Louis XIII is crowned in Reims Cathedral.
Louis XIII is crowned King of France at Reims Cathedral, ushering in a new chapter for the Bourbon dynasty.
Births
Lý Nam Đế
First emperor of Vietnam who established the Early Lý dynasty and championed independence from Chinese rule.
Ivo of Kermartin
French priest and canonized saint renowned as the patron of lawyers.
Bartolommeo Bandinelli
Italian Renaissance sculptor famed for his monumental marble masterpieces and rivalry with Michelangelo.
Alonso de Orozco Mena
Spanish Roman Catholic priest celebrated for his devout pastoral work and long service to the faithful.
Irene di Spilimbergo
Italian Renaissance polymath admired for her poetic talent and skillful painting at a young age.
Cristofano Allori
Italian Baroque painter noted for his refined portraits and dramatic biblical compositions.
Dmitry Pozharsky
Russian prince and military hero who helped liberate Moscow from foreign occupation.
Johann Gerhard
German Lutheran theologian whose systematic works shaped Reformation-era scholarship.
Nathan Field
English Jacobean actor and playwright known for his engaging comedies.
Deaths
Agrippina the Elder
Prominent Roman noblewoman of the Julio-Claudian dynasty, wife of general Germanicus and mother of Emperor Caligula.
Sixth-century pope who led the Church from 530 until his death in 532, navigating early theological disputes and ecclesiastical politics.
Al-Musta'in
Abbasid caliph who reigned from 862 to 866, remembered for attempts to stabilize the empire amid military unrest.
Steinvör Sighvatsdóttir
13th-century Icelandic aristocrat and poet known for her contributions to medieval Norse literature.
Beatrice of Falkenburg
German noblewoman who became Queen consort of Germany through her marriage to Richard of Cornwall.
John Randolph
Scottish nobleman and military commander who served as the 3rd Earl of Moray and died at the Battle of Neville's Cross.
Maurice de Moravia
Scottish nobleman who held the Earldom of Strathearn and fought in the Wars of Scottish Independence.
Nicolas Grenon
French composer of the early Renaissance renowned for his sacred polyphonic music.
John Scott of Scott's Hall
English nobleman who served as Warden of the Cinque Ports, responsible for coastal defense and maritime affairs.