January 17

Events

38 BC

Octavian divorces his wife Scribonia and marries Livia Drusilla, ending the fragile peace between the Second Triumvirate and Sextus Pompey.

Octavian divorces Scribonia and marries Livia Drusilla, reshaping the power dynamics of Rome.
On January 17, 38 BC, Octavian, later known as Augustus, divorces his wife Scribonia to marry Livia Drusilla. This strategic union aligns him with one of Rome’s most influential families and strengthens his political network. The move signals the end of a fragile peace between the Second Triumvirate and Sextus Pompey. Livia would become a key advisor, exerting considerable influence over Octavian’s public image. This personal alliance underscores the interplay of marriage and politics in the late Republic. Octavian’s decision foreshadows his rise as Rome’s first emperor and the shift from republican rule to imperial governance.
38 BC Octavian Scribonia Livia Drusilla Second Triumvirate Sextus Pompey
1362day.year

Saint Marcellus' flood kills at least 25,000 people on the shores of the North Sea.

A catastrophic North Sea storm surge known as Saint Marcellus’ flood devastates coastal regions, killing over 25,000 people.
On January 17, 1362, a violent storm surge called the Saint Marcellus’ flood sweeps across the shores of the North Sea. Also known as the Grote Mandrenke, it breaches dikes and inundates vast areas of present-day Germany, Denmark, and the Netherlands. Medieval communities, unprepared for such force, suffer massive loss of life and destruction of settlements. At least 25,000 lives are lost, and churches, farms, and fortifications are carried away by the raging waters. The disaster reshapes coastlines and spurs advances in medieval flood defense engineering. It remains one of the deadliest natural disasters in European history.
1362 Saint Marcellus' flood
1377day.year

Pope Gregory XI reaches Rome, after deciding to move the Papacy back to Rome from Avignon.

Pope Gregory XI returns the Papacy from Avignon to Rome, ending the Avignon Papacy.
On January 17, 1377, Pope Gregory XI arrives in Rome, bringing an end to nearly 70 years of Papal residence in Avignon. His decision follows mounting pressures from Italian courts and popular unrest over French influence in the Church. The return marks a major shift in ecclesiastical politics and restores Rome as the spiritual center of Western Christianity. Gregory's move lays groundwork for reform but also reignites tensions that will lead to the Western Schism. This moment reinforces the medieval Papacy's authority while exposing the fragility of religious unity. The relocation has lasting impact on the relationship between the Papacy and European monarchs.
1377 Pope Gregory XI Avignon
1524day.year

Giovanni da Verrazzano sets sail westward from Madeira to find a sea route to the Pacific Ocean.

Explorer Giovanni da Verrazzano sets sail from Madeira in search of a western passage to the Pacific Ocean.
On January 17, 1524, Italian navigator Giovanni da Verrazzano departs Madeira under a French commission to discover a sea route to Asia. Sponsored by King Francis I, he aims to find the mythical Northwest Passage across the American continent. Verrazzano's voyage will chart much of the Atlantic coast of North America, from Florida to Newfoundland. His logs provide Europe’s first detailed observations of the Mid-Atlantic seaboard and its Indigenous inhabitants. Although he never finds a direct route to the Pacific, his expedition advances European geographic knowledge. Verrazzano’s journey opens a new chapter in the Age of Discovery and French colonial ambitions.
1524 Giovanni da Verrazzano Madeira
1562day.year

France grants religious toleration to the Huguenots in the Edict of Saint-Germain.

France issues the Edict of Saint-Germain, granting limited religious toleration to the Huguenots.
On January 17, 1562, King Charles IX of France promulgates the Edict of Saint-Germain, offering official toleration to the Protestant Huguenots. The decree represents the first royal attempt to ease religious tensions in a kingdom torn by confessional conflict. While Catholics view the edict with suspicion, Huguenot leaders see it as a crucial step toward legal recognition. The compromise fails to prevent the outbreak of the French Wars of Religion later that year. Nonetheless, the edict introduces principles of coexistence that influence future attempts at religious peace. It stands as an early milestone in Europe’s struggle for freedom of conscience.
1562 Huguenots Edict of Saint-Germain
1595day.year

During the French Wars of Religion, Henry IV of France declares war on Spain.

Henry IV of France formally declares war on Spain, escalating the French Wars of Religion.
On January 17, 1595, King Henry IV of France issues a declaration of war against Spain, marking a new phase in his struggle for the French throne. The conflict arises from Spain’s support for the Catholic League, which continues to contest Henry’s legitimacy. By opening this front, Henry aims to weaken his adversaries and secure his reign over a divided kingdom. The war will draw in mercenary armies and strain France’s finances, but also offer Henry opportunities to demonstrate military leadership. His campaigns against Spanish forces help consolidate his authority and pave the way for the Edict of Nantes. Henry’s decision underscores the interplay of dynastic ambition and religious conflict in late 16th-century Europe.
1595 French Wars of Religion Henry IV of France
1608day.year

Emperor Susenyos I of Ethiopia surprises an Oromo army at Ebenat; his army reportedly kills 12,000 Oromo at the cost of 400 of his men.

Ethiopian Emperor Susenyos I ambushes an Oromo army at Ebenat, inflicting heavy casualties.
On January 17, 1608, Emperor Susenyos I of Ethiopia surprises an Oromo force at Ebenat in a well-planned ambush. Despite the Oromo’s reputation for fierce resistance, Susenyos’s troops kill an estimated 12,000 warriors while losing only 400. The victory secures the emperor’s control over key territories and temporarily halts Oromo incursions into the highlands. Susenyos’s military success enhances his authority but also foreshadows the challenges of governing a multiethnic empire. He later converts to Catholicism and seeks Portuguese assistance, moves that will spark internal dissent. This battle reflects the complex dynamics of power, religion, and identity in early modern Ethiopia.
1608 Susenyos I Oromo
1641day.year

Reapers' War: The Junta de Braços (parliamentary assembly) of the Principality of Catalonia accepts the proposal of establishment of the Catalan Republic under French protection.

Catalan deputies proclaim the Catalan Republic under French protection during the Reapers’ War.
On January 17, 1641, the Junta de Braços of Catalonia accepts a proposal to establish the Catalan Republic under the protection of France. The decision occurs amid the Reapers’ War, a revolt against Spanish Habsburg rule triggered by heavy taxation and military conscription. By seeking French alliance, Catalan leaders aim to secure autonomy and resist Castilian forces. The new republic marks a bold assertion of regional self-governance during the Thirty Years’ War. French troops soon enter Catalonia, transforming the local uprising into a wider Franco-Spanish conflict. This moment highlights the interplay of local grievances and great power politics in 17th-century Europe.
1641 Reapers' War Junta de Braços Principality of Catalonia Catalan Republic
1648day.year

England's Long Parliament passes the "Vote of No Addresses", breaking off negotiations with King Charles I and thereby setting the scene for the second phase of the English Civil War.

England’s Long Parliament breaks off negotiations with King Charles I by passing the Vote of No Addresses.
On January 17, 1648, the English Long Parliament votes to end all negotiations with King Charles I, an act known as the Vote of No Addresses. Frustrated by the king’s refusal to agree to parliamentary terms, members conclude that a peaceful settlement is impossible. The decision sets the stage for the second phase of the English Civil War and the eventual trial of Charles I. By rejecting further dialogue, Parliament commits to a military resolution of the conflict. The vote deepens the rupture between royalists and parliamentarians and hardens political divisions. This turning point underscores the stakes of sovereignty, religion, and governance in mid-17th-century England.
1648 Long Parliament Vote of No Addresses King Charles I English Civil War
1649day.year

The Second Ormonde Peace creates an alliance between the Irish Royalists and Confederates during the War of the Three Kingdoms. The coalition was then decisively defeated during the Cromwellian conquest of Ireland.

The Second Ormonde Peace allies Irish Royalists and Confederates during the Wars of the Three Kingdoms.
On January 17, 1649, the Second Ormonde Peace treaty forms a military alliance between Irish Royalists and the Irish Confederates. Negotiated by James Butler, Earl of Ormonde, it aims to coordinate resistance against Parliamentarian forces. The agreement reflects a rare convergence of Catholic and Protestant interests to restore King Charles I’s authority. However, this coalition collapses amid internal distrust and the Cromwellian conquest of Ireland later that year. Oliver Cromwell’s forces decisively defeat Irish armies, ushering in a brutal period of land confiscations and repression. The treaty remains a poignant example of shifting allegiances and the complexities of 17th-century British and Irish politics.
1649 Second Ormonde Peace Irish Royalists Confederates War of the Three Kingdoms Cromwellian conquest of Ireland
1773day.year

Captain James Cook leads the first expedition to sail south of the Antarctic Circle.

Captain James Cook's expedition becomes the first to cross the Antarctic Circle on this day, marking a landmark achievement in polar exploration.
On January 17, 1773, British Royal Navy Captain James Cook led HMS Resolution and HMS Adventure as the first vessels to penetrate the Antarctic Circle. The voyage sought the mythical Terra Australis and aimed to chart unknown southern waters. Cook's crew navigated through treacherous ice floes and braved freezing conditions, demonstrating remarkable seamanship. Observations of sea ice, wildlife, and latitude positions enriched scientific knowledge of the region. This crossing dispelled long-held myths of a temperate southern continent and paved the way for future Antarctic discovery. The expedition returned to England in 1775 with detailed charts and valuable scientific data, cementing Cook's legacy as a pioneering explorer.
1773 James Cook first expedition Antarctic Circle
1781day.year

American Revolutionary War: Battle of Cowpens: Continental troops under Brigadier General Daniel Morgan defeat British forces under Lieutenant Colonel Banastre Tarleton at the battle in South Carolina.

Continental forces under Daniel Morgan achieve a decisive victory against Banastre Tarleton's British troops at the Battle of Cowpens, tipping the momentum of the Southern campaign.
On January 17, 1781, Brigadier General Daniel Morgan orchestrated a clever double envelopment of Lieutenant Colonel Banastre Tarleton's cavalry and infantry near Cowpens, South Carolina. Morgan's use of skirmishers and disciplined militia lured the British into a trap, resulting in a crippling defeat for Tarleton's Legion. The victory boosted Patriot morale and weakened British control over the Southern colonies. Over 800 British soldiers were captured, killed, or wounded, while American losses were significantly lighter. The battle marked a turning point in the Southern theater and set the stage for General Nathanael Greene's subsequent campaigns. This triumph is celebrated as one of the finest tactical feats of the American Revolutionary War.
1781 American Revolutionary War Battle of Cowpens Daniel Morgan Banastre Tarleton South Carolina