WHAT HAPPENED ON 17. APRIL
Want to find out what all happened on 17. April

After the First Battle of Bedriacum, Vitellius becomes Roman Emperor. (17. April 69)

The King of Denmark Harald III dies and is succeeded by Canute IV, who would later be the first Dane to be canonized. (17. April 1080)

Fall of the Bavand dynasty, and rise of the Afrasiyab dynasty. (17. April 1349)

Geoffrey Chaucer tells the Canterbury Tales for the first time at the court of Richard II. Chaucer scholars have also identified this date (in 1387) as the start of the book's pilgrimage to Canterbury. (17. April 1397)

Spain and Christopher Columbus sign the Capitulations of Santa Fe for his voyage to Asia to acquire spices. (17. April 1492)

Trial of Martin Luther over his teachings begins during the assembly of the Diet of Worms. Initially intimidated, he asks for time to reflect before answering and is given a stay of one day. (17. April 1521)

Giovanni da Verrazzano reaches New York harbor. (17. April 1524)

After 18 months of siege, Siena surrenders to the Florentine-Imperial army. The Republic of Siena is incorporated into the Grand Duchy of Tuscany. (17. April 1555)

Sir Ralph Abercromby attacks San Juan, Puerto Rico, in what would be one of the largest invasions of the Spanish territories in America. (17. April 1797)

Citizens of Verona, Italy, begin an eight-day rebellion against the French occupying forces, which will end unsuccessfully. (17. April 1797)

American Civil War: Grierson's Raid begins – troops under Union Army Colonel Benjamin Grierson attack central Mississippi. (17. April 1863)

American Civil War: The Battle of Plymouth begins – Confederate forces attack Plymouth, North Carolina. (17. April 1864)

The Treaty of Shimonoseki between China and Japan is signed. This marks the end of the First Sino-Japanese War, and the defeated Qing Empire is forced to renounce its claims on Korea and to concede the southern portion of the Fengtien province, Taiwan and the Pescadores Islands to Japan. (17. April 1895)

The Aurora, Texas UFO incident (17. April 1897)

The Supreme Court of the United States decides Lochner v. New York which holds that the "right to free contract" is implicit in the due process clause of the Fourteenth Amendment of the United States Constitution. (17. April 1905)

The Ellis Island immigration center processes 11,747 people, more than on any other day. (17. April 1907)

Russian troops open fire on striking goldfield workers in northeast Siberia, killing at least 150. (17. April 1912)

World War II: The Kingdom of Yugoslavia surrenders to Germany. (17. April 1941)

French prisoner of war General Henri Giraud escapes from his castle prison in Festung Königstein. (17. April 1942)

Forces of the Communist-controlled Greek People's Liberation Army attack the smaller National and Social Liberation resistance group, which surrenders. Its leader Dimitrios Psarros is murdered. (17. April 1944)