What happened on December 17

64 documented historical events happened on December 17, from antiquity to the present day. The best known is this: Rome was sacked by the Ostrogoths led by Totila after a year-long siege. On the same day, in another year: William Longsword of Normandy was ambushed and assassinated by supporters of Arnulf I, Count of Flanders, while both were at a peace conference to settle their differences. On Almanaccolo every event is listed in chronological order, grouped by century, and links to the Wikipedia article it comes from, so you can always read further or check the source. Alongside the events you find who was born and who died on this date, and which observances are celebrated around the world.

160 people with a Wikipedia article were born on December 17, including Kerry Packer, John Kennedy Toole, Peter Snell. The list spans every era and every field — art, science, politics, sport, entertainment — ordered by year of birth, from the earliest to the most recent. The six featured people are those most has been written about: the ordering uses the length of their Wikipedia article as an indicator of prominence. For each one you find their occupation, year of birth and a link to the full biography.

99 people with a Wikipedia article died on December 17, including Saint Sturm, Pope Gregory VIII, Baldwin V of Hainaut. The list is in chronological order by year of death and spans all of documented history, from antiquity to the present day. For each person you find their occupation, the year and a link to the Wikipedia biography, where the full story and its sources can be read.

14 observances are celebrated on December 17 around the world: Christian feast day: Daniel the Prophet, Christian feast day: Josep Manyanet i Vives, Christian feast day: Lazarus of Bethany (local commemoration in Cuba), Christian feast day: O Sapientia, Christian feast day: Olympias the Deaconess, Christian feast day: Wivina. The list gathers national holidays, international days and religious or civil observances falling on this date in different countries, as recorded on Wikipedia. Some are fixed and recur on the same day every year; others depend on the local calendar. Each links to the article explaining its origin and meaning.