December 17: International Day to End Violence Against Sex

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December 17 is the 351st day of the year (352nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. There are 14 days remaining until the end of the year.

Events

* 546 - Gothic War (535–552): The Ostrogoths of King Totila conquer Rome bribing the Byzantine garrison.
* 920 - Romanos I is crowned co-emperor of the underage Emperor Constantine VII.
* 942 - Assassination of William I of Normandy.
* 1398 - Sultan Mehmud's armies in Delhi defeated by Timur.
* 1531 - Pope Clement VII established a parallel to the Inquisition in Lisbon, Portugal.
* 1538 - Pope Paul III excommunicates Henry VIII of England.
* 1577 - Francis Drake set sail from Plymouth, England, on a secret mission to explore the Pacific Coast of the Americas for British Queen Elizabeth I.
* 1586 - Emperor Go-Yozei becomes Emperor of Japan.
* 1600 - Marriage of Henry IV of France and Marie de' Medici.
* 1637 - Shimabara Rebellion: Japanese peasants led by Amakusa Shiro rise against daimyo Matsukura Shigeharu.
* 1718 - Great Britain declares war on Spain.
* 1770 - Ludwig van Beethoven is baptized at Bonn.
* 1807 - France issues the Milan Decree, which confirms the Continental System.
* 1819 - Simón Bolívar declares the independence of the Republic of Gran Colombia in Angostura (now Ciudad Bolívar in Venezuela).
* 1834 - The Dublin and Kingstown Railway opened in Ireland, the first public railway on the island of Ireland.
* 1862 - American Civil War: General Ulysses S. Grant issues General Order No. 11, expelling Jews from Tennessee, Mississippi, and Kentucky.
* 1903 - The Wright Brothers made their first powered and heavier-than-air flight in the Wright Flyer at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina.
* 1919 - Uruguay becomes a signatory to the Buenos Aires copyright treaty.
* 1935 - First flight of the Douglas DC-3 airplane.
* 1939 - World War II: Battle of the River Plate - The Admiral Graf Spee is scuttled by Captain Hans Langsdorff outside Montevideo.
* 1941 - World War II: Beginning of the Siege of Sebastopol.
* 1941 - World War II: Japanese forces land in Northern Borneo.
* 1944 - World War II: Battle of the Bulge - Malmedy massacre - American 285th Field Artillery Observation Battalion POWs are shot by Waffen-SS Kampfgruppe Peiper.
* 1961 - History of Goa: Operation Vijay - India seizes Goa from Portugal.
* 1967 - Prime Minister of Australia Harold Holt disappears while swimming near Portsea, Victoria and was presumed drowned.
* 1969 - The SALT I talks begin.
* 1969 - Project Blue Book: The USAF closes its study of UFOs, stating that sightings were generated as a result of "A mild form of mass hysteria, Individuals who fabricate such reports to perpetrate a hoax or seek publicity, psychopathological persons, and misidentification of various conventional objects."
* 1970 - Polish 1970 protests: In Gdynia, soldiers fire at workers emerging from trains, killing dozens.
* 1973 - 32 are killed in an attempt at the Rome Fiumicino Airport.
* 1978 - The Workers Party of Jamaica is founded by Trevor Munroe.
* 1981 - Brigadier General James L. Dozier is abducted by the Red Brigade in Verona, Italy.
* 1981 - Founding of the Senegambia Confederation.
* 1983 - The IRA bomb Harrods Department Store in London, killing seven people (see Harrods bombing).
* 1987 - Mega Man makes his debut on the NES in the video game Mega Man.
* 1989 - Romanian Revolution: Protests continue in Timişoara with rioters breaking into the Romanian Communist Party's District Committee building and attempting to set it on fire.
* 1989 - First free elections in Brazil in 25 years.
* 1989 - Premiere of hit animated television series The Simpsons.
* 1999 - The United Nations General Assembly passes resolution 54/134 designating November 25 as the annual International Day to Eliminate Violence Against Women.
* 2002 - Second Congo War: The Congolese parties of the Inter Congolese Dialogue sign a peace accord which makes provision for transitional governance and legislative and presidential elections within two years.
* 2003 - SpaceShipOne flight 11P, piloted by Brian Binnie, makes the first privately-funded manned supersonic flight.
* 2005 - Anti-WTO protesters riot in Wan Chai, Hong Kong

Births

* 1239 - Kujo Yoritsugu, Japanese Shogun (d. 1256)
* 1267 - Emperor Go-Uda of Japan (d. 1324)
* 1619 - Prince Rupert of the Rhine, commander in the English Civil War (d. 1682)
* 1632 - Anthony Wood, English antiqurian (d. 1695)
* 1685 - Thomas Tickell, English writer (d. 1740)
* 1706 - Émilie du Châtelet, French mathematician and physicist (d. 1749)
* 1734 - Maria I of Portugal, Portuguese queen (d. 1816)
* 1749 - Domenico Cimarosa, Italian composer (d. 1801)
* 1770 - (Baptism) - Ludwig van Beethoven, German composer (d. 1827)
* 1778 - Sir Humphry Davy, English chemist and physicist (d. 1829)
* 1796 - Thomas Chandler Haliburton, Canadian novelist (d. 1865)
* 1799 - Titian Peale, American artist (d. 1885)
* 1807 - John Greenleaf Whittier, American poet and abolitionist (d. 1892)
* 1830 - Jules de Goncourt, French publisher (d. 1870)
* 1835 - Alexander Emanuel Agassiz, American scientist; son of Louis Agassiz (d. 1910)
* 1847 - Émile Faguet, French writer and critic (d. 1916)
* 1853 - Émile Roux, French physician (d. 1933)
* 1859 - Paul César Helleu, French artist (d. 1927)
* 1873 - Ford Madox Ford, English writer (d. 1939)
* 1874 - William Lyon Mackenzie King, 10th Prime Minister of Canada (d. 1950)
* 1883 - Raimu, French actor (d. 1946)
* 1887 - Josef Lada, Czech painter (d. 1957)
* 1887 - Hermine Reuss, Empress of Germany and Duchess of Bohemia (d. 1947)
* 1887 - Harry Reid, Famous engineer and photographer (d. 1932)
* 1888 - King Alexander I of Yugoslavia (d. 1934)
* 1892 - Sam Barry, American basketball coach (d. 1950)
* 1893 - Erwin Piscator, German film director (d. 1966)
* 1894 - Arthur Fiedler, American conductor (d. 1979)
* 1900 - Mary Cartwright, English mathematician (d. 1998)
* 1900 - Katina Paxinou, Greek actress (d. 1973)
* 1903 - Erskine Caldwell, American author (d. 1987)
* 1903 - Ray Noble, English bandleader and actor (d. 1978)
* 1904 - Paul Cadmus, American artist (d. 1999)
* 1905 - Simo Häyhä, Finnish sniper (d. 2002)
* 1905 - Érico Lopes Veríssimo, Brazilian writer (d. 1975)
* 1906 - Fernando Lopes-Graça, Portuguese composer and musicologist (d. 1994)
* 1908 - Willard Frank Libby, American chemist, Nobel laureate (d. 1980)
* 1910 - Sy Oliver, American jazz arranger and bandleader (d. 1988)
* 1915 - André Claveau, French singer (d. 2003)
* 1916 - Penelope Fitzgerald, English writer (d. 2000)
* 1920 - Kenneth E. Iverson, Canadian computer scientist (d. 2004)
* 1922 - Alan Voorhees, American engineer and urban planner (d. 2005)
* 1923 - Jaroslav Pelikan, American historian (d. 2006)
* 1926 - Ray Jablonski, American baseball player (d. 1985)
* 1927 - Richard Long, American actor (d. 1974)
* 1929 - Jacqueline Hill, English actress (d. 1993)
* 1929 - William Safire, American columnist
* 1930 - Bob Guccione, American magazine publisher
* 1930 - Bob Mathias, American decathlete and congressman (d. 2006)
* 1930 - Armin Mueller-Stahl, German actor
* 1931 - Dave Madden, Canadian-born American actor
* 1934 - Ray Wilson, English footballer
* 1935 - George Lindsey, American actor
* 1935 - Cal Ripken, Sr., American baseball coach (d. 1999)
* 1936 - Tommy Steele, English singer and actor
* 1937 - Kerry Packer, Australian businessman (d. 2005)
* 1937 - John Kennedy Toole, American novelist (d. 1969)
* 1937 - Calvin Waller, US Army general (d. 1996)
* 1938 - Carlo Little, English drummer (d. 2005)
* 1938 - Peter Snell, New Zealand runner
* 1939 - Eddie Kendricks, American singer (The Temptations) (d. 1992)
* 1940 - KÃ¥re Valebrokk, Norwegian journalist
* 1942 - Paul Butterfield, American musician (d. 1987)
* 1943 - Mary Brunner, American former "Manson Family" member
* 1943 - Ron Geesin, Scottish musician and composer
* 1944 - Jack L. Chalker, American novelist
* 1944 - Bernard Hill, English actor
* 1945 - Ernie Hudson, American actor
* 1945 - Chris Matthews, American journalist
* 1945 - Jacqueline Wilson, English author
* 1946 - Eugene Levy, Canadian actor
* 1947 - Wes Studi, American actor
* 1949 - Sotiris Kaiafas, Cypriot footballer
* 1949 - Paul Rodgers, English singer (Free; Bad Company)
* 1950 - Laurence F. Johnson, American educator
* 1951 - Ken Hitchcock, Canadian ice hockey coach
* 1951 - Tatyana Kazankina, Soviet athlete
* 1953 - Samuel Hadida, film distributor
* 1953 - Barry Livingston, American actor
* 1953 - Bill Pullman, American actor
* 1955 - Brad Davis, American basketball player
* 1956 - Peter Farrelly, American film director
* 1957 - Earl Hudson, American drummer (Bad Brains)
* 1958 - Mike Mills, American musician (R.E.M.)
* 1960 - Moreno Argentin, Italian cyclist
* 1960 - Sara Dallin, English singer (Bananarama)
* 1962 - Paul Dobson, English footballer
* 1962 - Richard Jewell, central figure in the 1996 Centennial Olympic Park bombing (d. 2007)
* 1962 - Rocco Mediate, American golfer
* 1964 - Ginger, English singer and guitarist (The Wildhearts)
* 1964 - Frank Musil, Czech ice hockey player
* 1964 - Michele Tafoya, American sportcaster
* 1965 - Craig Berube, Canadian ice hockey player
* 1966 - Tracy Byrd American musician
* 1966 - Valeri Liukin, Soviet gymnast
* 1966 - Kristiina Ojuland, Estonian politician
* 1967 - Gigi D'Agostino, Italian DJ and musician
* 1967 - Vincent Damphousse, Canadian ice hockey player
* 1967 - Chris Mason (darts player) PDC Darts player
* 1968 - Andrey Golovatiuk, Russian politician
* 1968 - Paul Tracy, Canadian race car driver
* 1969 - Chuck Liddell, American martial artist
* 1970 - Joshua Seth, American voice actor
* 1971 - Alan Khan, South African radio disc jockey
* 1971 - Antoine Rigaudeau, French basketball player
* 1972 - John Abraham, Indian actor
* 1972 - Laurie Holden, American actress
* 1973 - Paula Radcliffe, English runner
* 1973 - Konstadinos Gatsioudis, Greek javelin thrower
* 1974 - Duff Goldman, American chef
* 1974 - Giovanni Ribisi, American actor
* 1975 - Nick Dinsmore (Eugene), American professional wrestler
* 1975 - Milla Jovovich, Ukrainian-born actress
* 1975 - Sarah Paulson, American actress
* 1975 - Bree Sharp, American singer/songwriter
* 1976 - Éric Bédard, Canadian speed skater
* 1976 - Zsanett Égerházi, Hungarian-born *** actress
* 1976 - Patrick Müller, Swiss footballer
* 1976 - Takeo Spikes, American football player
* 1977 - Arnaud Clement, French tennis player
* 1978 - Alex Cintrón, Puerto Rican baseball player
* 1978 - Neil Sanderson, Drummer for rock band "Three Days Grace"
* 1978 - Riteish Deshmukh, Indian actor
* 1978 - Manny Pacquiao, Filipino boxer
* 1978 - Chase Utley, American baseball player
* 1979 - Jaimee Foxworth, American actress
* 1979 - Ryan Key, American musician and songwriter (Yellowcard)
* 1979 - Matt Murley, American ice hockey player
* 1980 - Eli Pariser, American political activist (MoveOn.org)
* 1980 - Ryan Hunter-Reay, American race car driver
* 1982 - Josh Barfield, Venezuelan baseball player
* 1982 - Craig Kielburger, Canadian labour activist
* 1982 - Stephane Lasme, Gabonese basketball player
* 1984 - Andrew Davies, English footballer
* 1985 - Ryuichi Ogata, member of Japanese boy band w-inds.
* 1986 - Vanessa Zima, American actress
* 1994 - Nat Wolff, American Singer, actor and songwriter

Deaths

* 942 - William Longsword
* 1187 - Pope Gregory VIII
* 1195 - Baldwin V, Count of Hainaut (b. 1150)
* 1273 - Rumi (b.1207)
* 1663 - Nzinga of Ndongo and Matamba (b. 1583)
* 1721 - Richard Lumley, 1st Earl of Scarbrough, English statesman (b. 1640)
* 1830 - Simón Bolívar, Venezuelan-born libertator, six nations (b. 1783)
* 1833 - Kaspar Hauser, German foundling (b. 1812)
* 1847 - Archduchess Marie Louise of Austria, second wife of Napoleon (b. 1791)
* 1907 - William Thomson, 1st Baron Kelvin, Irish-born physicist (b. 1824)
* 1909 - Léopold II of Belgium (b. 1835)
* 1917 - Elizabeth Garrett Anderson, British physician (b. 1836)
* 1917 - Frank Gotch, wrestler (b. 1878)
* 1933 - Thubten Gyatso, 13th Dalai Lama (b. 1876)
* 1940 - Alicia Boole Stott, Irish mathematician (b. 1860)
* 1957 - Dorothy L. Sayers, British writer (b. 1893)
* 1962 - Thomas Mitchell, American actor (b. 1892)
* 1964 - Victor Franz Hess, Austrian-born physicist, Nobel laureate (b. 1883)
* 1967 - Harold Holt, Australian Prime Minister (b. 1908)
* 1967 - Jack Perrin, American actor (b. 1896)
* 1978 - Don Ellis, American jazz band leader (b. 1934)
* 1982 - Homer S. Ferguson, American politician (b. 1889)
* 1987 - Marguerite Yourcenar, Belgian novelist (b. 1903)
* 1987 - Linda Wong, pornographic actress (b. 1951)
* 1992 - Dana Andrews, American actor (b. 1909)
* 1999 - Grover Washington, Jr., American saxophonist (b. 1943)
* 1999 - Rex Allen, American actor, singer and songwriter (b. 1920)
* 2002 - James Hazeldine, British actor (b. 1947)
* 2003 - Ed Devereaux, Australian actor (b. 1925)
* 2003 - Otto Graham, American football player (b. 1921)
* 2004 - Tom Wesselmann, American collage artist (b. 1931)
* 2005 - Jack Anderson, American journalist (b. 1922)
* 2005 - Marc Favreau, French Canadian humourist (Sol) (b. 1929)
* 2006 - Larry Sherry, American baseball player (b. 1935)

Holidays and Observances

* Bhutan – National Day (1907)
* Greek Orthodox Church-Saint Barbaras day – Feast of Daniel the Prophet
* International Day to End Violence Against Sex Workers
* R.C. Saints – O Sapientia ; Saint Lazarus
* Roman festivals – Saturnalia, in honor of Saturn, began
* USA – Wright Brothers Day (by Presidential Proclamation)