
Rojava Revolution
Rojava conflict: At a conference in Rmelan, the Movement for a Democratic Society declares the establishment of the Democratic Federation of Northern Syria.
36 events · 20 births · 20 deaths · 8 observances. From 1337 to 2025.

Standout on March 17
Rojava conflict: At a conference in Rmelan, the Movement for a Democratic Society declares the establishment of the Democratic Federation of Northern Syria.
March 17 is the 76th day of the year. These facts are computed from the calendar, not copied from anywhere.
A dated happening — a battle, treaty, launch, discovery, disaster or decision — recorded on this calendar day.

Rojava conflict: At a conference in Rmelan, the Movement for a Democratic Society declares the establishment of the Democratic Federation of Northern Syria.
First Libyan Civil War: The United Nations Security Council adopted Resolution 1973, authorizing military intervention in Libya to protect civilians.
Unrest in Kosovo broke out, resulting in the deaths of 28, the wounding of more than 600 others, and the destruction of several Serb Orthodox churches and shrines.

Leader of the House of Commons and Lord President of the Council, Robin Cook, resigns from the British Cabinet in disagreement with government plans for the 2003 invasion of Iraq.
Hundreds of followers of the Movement for the Restoration of the Ten Commandments of God, a Ugandan sect, died in a mass murder committed by its leaders.

Five hundred and thirty members of the Ugandan cult Movement for the Restoration of the Ten Commandments of God die in a fire, considered to be a mass murder or suicide orchestrated by leaders of the cult. Elsewhere another 248 members are later found dead.

A referendum to end apartheid in South Africa is passed 68.7% to 31.2%.
Israeli Embassy attack in Buenos Aires: Car bomb attack kills 29 and injures 242.
Eritrean War of Independence: Eritrean People's Liberation Front troops encircled Ethiopian forces in the Battle of Afabet, gaining a decisive victory three days later.

A Colombian Boeing 727 jetliner, Avianca Flight 410, crashes into a mountainside near the Venezuelan border killing 143.
Serial killer Richard Ramirez, aka the "Night Stalker", commits the first two murders in his Los Angeles murder spree.
The Penmanshiel Tunnel in the Scottish Borders collapsed during refurbishing construction, killing two workers, and leading to the abandonment of the tunnel.
Aeroflot Flight 1691 crashes on approach to Vnukovo International Airport, killing 58.
Slava Veder took his Pulitzer Prize-winning photograph Burst of Joy, which came to symbolize the end of United States involvement in the Vietnam War.
The Pulitzer Prize–winning photograph Burst of Joy is taken, depicting a former prisoner of war being reunited with his family, which came to symbolize the end of United States involvement in the Vietnam War.

Golda Meir becomes the first female Prime Minister of Israel.
Six thousand sheep were killed on ranches near Dugway Proving Ground in Utah as a result of the U.S. Army spraying a nerve agent.
As a result of nerve gas testing by the U.S. Army Chemical Corps in Skull Valley, Utah, over 6,000 sheep are found dead.
Off the coast of Spain in the Mediterranean, the DSV Alvin submarine finds a missing American hydrogen bomb.
An eruption of Mount Agung on Bali, Indonesia, killed at least 1,100 people.

A Clockwork Orange, a British dystopian novel by Anthony Burgess, is published.

U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower signs the National Security Council directive on the anti-Cuban covert action program that will ultimately lead to the Bay of Pigs Invasion.

Northwest Airlines Flight 710 explodes and crashes near Cannelton, Indiana, killing 63.
The United States launches the first solar-powered satellite, which is also the first satellite to achieve a long-term orbit.
A plane crash on the slopes of Mount Manunggal killed Philippine president Ramon Magsaysay and 24 others.
Ice hockey fans in Montreal rioted to protest the suspension of Montreal Canadiens star Maurice Richard for hitting an official.
Scientists at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory announced the synthesis of californium, a radioactive transuranium element.

The Holocaust: The first mass killings of Jews began at Belzec extermination camp in occupied Poland, the first of the Operation Reinhard camps to begin operation.
World War I: Hugh Grosvenor, 2nd Duke of Westminster led a force to rescue 92 prisoners of war from Bir Hakeim, killing the Senussi guards and their families.
The Dorchester Heights Monument , memorializing the siege of Boston during the American Revolutionary War, was dedicated.

The transatlantic steamship Utopia accidentally collided with the battleship HMS Anson in the Bay of Gibraltar, sinking in less than twenty minutes and killing 562.
Second Schleswig War: In an attempt to end a Danish blockade, Eduard von Jachmann led a Prussian squadron in an attack against a Danish fleet led by Edvard van Dockum.
American Revolutionary War: The 11‑month Siege of Boston ended with the evacuation of the city's British garrison (depicted).
Franco-Dutch War: France captured the town of Valenciennes in the Spanish Netherlands.
Reconquista: Combined Castilian and Murcian forces defeated the Emirate of Granada at the Battle of Los Alporchones around the city of Lorca.
Edward the Black Prince was created Duke of Cornwall, the first English dukedom.
A notable person born on this day. Each links to a person page with their dates and story.


A notable person who died on this day.
John Hemingway, Irish fighter pilot, last surviving Battle of Britain pilot (born 1919)

Zoltán Kamondi, Hungarian director, producer, and screenwriter (born 1960)
Rachel Lambert Mellon, American gardener, philanthropist, art collector and political patron (born 1910)
Alex Chilton, American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and producer (born 1950)
A holiday, feast day, awareness day or national day observed every year on this date.
Christian feast day: Alexius of Rome (Eastern Church)
Christian feast day: Gertrude of Nivelles
Christian feast day: Joseph of Arimathea (Western Church)
Christian feast day: Patrick of Ireland
Children's Day (Bangladesh)
Christian feast day: March 17 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
Christian feast day: John Sarkander
Birthday of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman (Bangladesh)
Earliest: Edward the Black Prince (1337). Most recent: John Hemingway (RAF officer) (2025).
March 17 is the 76th day of the year, with 289 days left after it.
March 17 falls under Pisces (February 19 – March 20), a water sign ruled by Neptune (traditionally Jupiter). The birthstone for the month is Aquamarine or Bloodstone.
We record 84 entries for March 17: 36 events · 20 births · 20 deaths · 8 observances. From 1337 to 2025.
Pietro Pellegri (2001) is among the notable births on March 17. The births section lists the rest.
The day is filled the first time anyone opens it and then re-checked for new entries about every 90 days. Computed facts such as the weekday and the anniversaries update every year.
One short email a day from this calendar. Kept for this site only.
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