546day.year
Siege of Rome: The Ostrogoths under king Totila plunder the city, by bribing the Eastern Roman garrison.
In 546, Totila's Ostrogoths besieged and plundered Rome after bribing the Eastern Roman garrison.
During the Gothic War in 546, King Totila of the Ostrogoths launched a daring siege of Rome.
Instead of pure military force, Totila's forces bribed the Eastern Roman garrison to open the gates.
Once inside, the Ostrogoths plundered the city, seizing treasures and valuables.
The fall of Rome struck a blow to Eastern Roman prestige and showcased Totila's strategic acumen.
Local inhabitants faced looting and hardship as the city's defenses collapsed from within.
Totila's victory demonstrated the waning power of Byzantine authority in Italy.
This event marked a turning point in the Gothic War, influencing subsequent campaigns in the region.
546
Siege of Rome
Ostrogoths
Totila
Eastern Roman
1398day.year
Sultan Nasir-u Din Mehmud's armies in Delhi are defeated by Timur.
In 1398, Timur defeated Sultan Nasir al-Din Mahmud's forces in Delhi, consolidating his control over northern India.
During his 1398 Indian campaign, Timur confronted the army of Sultan Nasir al-Din Mahmud of the Tughluq dynasty.
At the Battle of Delhi, Timur's disciplined cavalry and use of artillery proved decisive.
The Tughluq forces were outmaneuvered and suffered heavy casualties.
Timur's victory granted him control over Delhi and its vast resources.
The sacking of the city followed, leaving it devastated and depopulated.
This conquest marked the end of significant Tughluq power in northern India.
Timur's campaign reshaped the subcontinent's political map for years to come.
1398
Sultan Nasir-u Din Mehmud
Timur
1583day.year
Cologne War: Forces under Ernest of Bavaria defeat troops under Gebhard Truchsess von Waldburg at the Siege of Godesberg.
In 1583, Ernest of Bavaria's forces captured Godesberg and defeated Gebhard Truchsess von Waldburg during the Cologne War.
During the Cologne War, the strategic Godesberg fortress fell on December 17, 1583.
Ducal forces under Ernest of Bavaria besieged and overcame Gebhard Truchsess von Waldburg's defenders.
The capture of Godesberg secured the Electorate of Cologne for Catholic interests.
Reinforced artillery and coordinated assaults broke the fortress's defenses.
Gebhard's defeat weakened Protestant influence in the region.
Ernest's victory marked a turning point in this confessional conflict.
The event exemplified the intertwining of religious and political power in the Holy Roman Empire.
1583
Cologne War
Ernest of Bavaria
Gebhard Truchsess von Waldburg
Siege of Godesberg
1718day.year
War of the Quadruple Alliance: Great Britain declares war on Spain.
In 1718, Great Britain formally declared war on Spain, joining the War of the Quadruple Alliance. This marked a major shift in European alliances against Spanish power.
On December 17, 1718, Great Britain issued a formal declaration of war against Spain as part of the War of the Quadruple Alliance. This conflict pitted Britain, France, Austria, and the Dutch Republic against Bourbon Spain in an effort to curb its influence in Italy and the Mediterranean. The declaration followed growing tensions over Spanish attempts to recover lands lost in the War of the Spanish Succession. Britain’s entry intensified the scale of the conflict and led to significant naval engagements in the Atlantic and Mediterranean. Over the next two years, the war reshaped power dynamics in Europe and ultimately forced Spain to abandon its expansionist ambitions. The Quadruple Alliance stood as a testament to the intricate balance-of-power politics of the early 18th century.
1718
War of the Quadruple Alliance
1812day.year
War of 1812: U.S. forces attack a Lenape village in the Battle of the Mississinewa.
During the War of 1812 on December 17, 1812, U.S. troops launched an assault on a Lenape village at the Battle of the Mississinewa. This encounter marked one of the opening offensives in the western theater of the conflict.
The Battle of the Mississinewa occurred on December 17, 1812, when American forces under General William Henry Harrison attacked a Lenape (Delaware) village along the Mississinewa River in what is now Indiana. Intended as a preemptive strike against Native American tribes allied with the British, the assault aimed to undermine enemy support. The battle resulted in the destruction of several settlements and significant casualties on both sides. While the Americans claimed victory, the engagement disrupted local communities and intensified frontier warfare. The operation reflected the broader strategy of the United States to secure the western frontier during the War of 1812. The conflict at Mississinewa remains a poignant example of the complex relations and violence between Native Americans, the U.S. government, and British forces.
1812
War of 1812
Lenape
Battle of the Mississinewa
1939day.year
World War II: Battle of the River Plate: The Admiral Graf Spee is scuttled by Captain Hans Langsdorff outside Montevideo.
On December 17, 1939, after engagement in the Battle of the River Plate, the German ship Admiral Graf Spee was scuttled off Montevideo.
During the early months of World War II, the British cruisers HMS Exeter, Ajax, and Achilles confronted the German pocket battleship Admiral Graf Spee near the River Plate estuary. Severely damaged, Captain Hans Langsdorff sought refuge in Uruguay's neutral port of Montevideo. Outnumbered and low on supplies, he chose to scuttle the Graf Spee on December 17 to prevent its capture. The action boosted Allied morale and demonstrated naval strategy's psychological impact. Langsdorff, respected by both sides, later took his own life, and the event remains a poignant chapter of maritime warfare.
1939
World War II
Battle of the River Plate
Admiral Graf Spee
Hans Langsdorff
Montevideo
1944day.year
World War II: Battle of the Bulge: Malmedy massacre: American 285th Field Artillery Observation Battalion POWs are shot by Waffen-SS Kampfgruppe Joachim Peiper.
On December 17, 1944, during the Battle of the Bulge, Waffen-SS troops executed American POWs in the Malmedy massacre.
As German forces launched their surprise Ardennes offensive, a tragic war crime occurred near Malmedy, Belgium. Members of Waffen-SS Kampfgruppe Joachim Peiper captured 84 American soldiers from the 285th Field Artillery Observation Battalion. Instead of taking them as prisoners, SS troops opened fire, killing scores of unarmed men. News of the Malmedy massacre shocked Allied forces and undermined German morale. The atrocity intensified Allied resolve and became a symbol of Nazi brutality. Postwar trials held perpetrators accountable, and Malmedy remains a solemn reminder of wartime atrocities.
1944
Battle of the Bulge
Malmedy massacre
285th Field Artillery Observation Battalion
POWs
Waffen-SS
Kampfgruppe
Joachim Peiper
1950day.year
The F-86 Sabre's first mission over Korea.
On December 17, 1950, the North American F-86 Sabre flew its first combat mission over Korea, entering jet-age aerial warfare.
The Korean War saw the debut of the F-86 Sabre in combat, marking a new era of jet-versus-jet dogfighting against Soviet-built MiG-15s. Equipped with swept wings and radar-ranging gunsights, the Sabre demonstrated superior maneuverability and speed. Pilots called the aerial clashes over 'MiG Alley' some of the most intense in history. The F-86 achieved an impressive kill-to-loss ratio, boosting UN air superiority. Its performance during the conflict influenced fighter design for decades. The Sabre remains a symbol of Cold War air power and technological innovation.
1950
F-86 Sabre
1970day.year
Polish protests: In Gdynia, soldiers fire at workers emerging from trains, killing dozens.
Soldiers fire on striking shipyard workers in Gdynia, Poland, on December 17, 1970, killing dozens and sparking nationwide outrage.
On December 17, 1970, worker protests in the port city of Gdynia, Poland, were violently suppressed when soldiers opened fire on striking shipyard workers disembarking from trains. The crackdown resulted in dozens of deaths and hundreds of injuries, exacerbating tensions between the communist government and the working class. The unrest followed a sudden rise in food prices and economic hardship imposed by state authorities. News of the shootings sparked further demonstrations in other coastal cities, ultimately forcing the government to reverse the price increases. The events at Gdynia became a symbol of resistance against authoritarian rule and set the stage for future opposition movements in Poland. In the longer term, these protests contributed to the rise of Solidarity and the eventual fall of communist control in the 1980s.
1970
Polish protests
Gdynia
1973day.year
Thirty passengers are killed in an attack by Palestinian terrorists on Rome's Leonardo da Vinci–Fiumicino Airport.
A Palestinian militant attack at Rome Fiumicino Airport in 1973 kills 30 passengers and crew in one of Europe’s deadliest airport assaults.
On December 17, 1973, Palestinian militants launched a coordinated assault on Leonardo da Vinci–Fiumicino Airport near Rome, targeting an Air France flight bound for Tel Aviv. Gunmen and bombers killed thirty passengers and crew members and wounded many others before eluding capture. The attack was claimed by a faction opposed to Israeli policies as part of their broader campaign. The violence shocked Italy and prompted immediate security overhauls at international airports. This tragedy underscored the global reach of Middle Eastern conflicts and pressed governments worldwide to strengthen counterterrorism measures. It remains one of the deadliest airport attacks in Europe’s aviation history.
1973
an attack
Palestinian terrorists
Leonardo da Vinci–Fiumicino Airport
1981day.year
American Brigadier General James L. Dozier is abducted by the Red Brigades in Verona, Italy.
Brigadier General James L. Dozier of the U.S. Army is kidnapped by Italy's Red Brigades in Verona in 1981.
On December 17, 1981, Brigadier General James L. Dozier of the U.S. Army was kidnapped from his Verona apartment by members of the Red Brigades, a far-left extremist group. Dozier’s abduction marked the first time the group had seized a captured NATO official. He was held hostage for 42 days under harsh conditions while Italian authorities mounted a secretive investigation. On January 28, 1982, police agents infiltrated the safe house and freed Dozier without any shots fired or ransom paid. The incident represented a major blow to the Red Brigades and showcased the effectiveness of Italy’s counterterrorism cooperation with NATO. Dozier later received the Army Distinguished Service Medal for his ordeal and resilience.
1981
James L. Dozier
Red Brigades
Verona
1983day.year
Provisional IRA members detonate a car bomb at Harrods Department Store in London. Three police officers and three civilians are killed.
A car bomb planted by the Provisional IRA detonates outside Harrods in London in 1983, killing six people during the Christmas shopping rush.
On December 17, 1983, Provisional IRA operatives detonated a car bomb outside Harrods Department Store in Knightsbridge, London, in retaliation against British government policy in Northern Ireland. The explosion killed three police officers and three civilians and injured over 90 bystanders amidst the Christmas shopping crowd. The bombing tore through the store’s storefront and nearby vehicles, causing widespread panic and damage. The attack intensified security measures across London during the holiday season and led to increased cooperation among British law enforcement agencies. In the wake of the bombing, public outcry mounted against the IRA’s violent campaign, and Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher vowed to bring the perpetrators to justice. Harrods reopened weeks later with reinforced security, symbolizing London’s resilience in the face of terrorism.
1983
Provisional IRA
detonate a car bomb
Harrods