What is February 17?
{{calendar}} {{day}} ==Events== === Up to 1900 === * [[364]] &ndash; [[Roman Emperor]] [[Jovian (emperor)|Jovian]] dies under suspicious circumstances, after a short reign of eight months. * [[1164]] &ndash; A major [[flood]] on what is now [[Germany]]'s [[North Sea]] coast, kills 20,000 people. * [[1370]] &ndash; The [[Grand Duchy of Lithuania]] and the Teutonic Knights meet in the [[Battle of Rudau]]. * [[1400]] &ndash; The body of [[Richard II of England]] is put on display at the Old St. Paul's [[Cathedral]] in [[London]]. * [[1600]] &ndash; [[Philosopher]] [[Giordano Bruno]] is burned to death for [[heresy]] in [[Rome]]. * [[1621]] &ndash; [[Myles Standish]] is appointed as the first commander of [[Plymouth Colony]]. * [[1753]] &ndash; [[Sweden]] changes from the [[Julian calendar]] to the [[Gregorian calendar]]. February 17 is followed by [[March 1]]. * [[1801]] &ndash; The [[United States House of Representatives]] chooses [[Thomas Jefferson]] to become the next [[President of the United States]]. * [[1854]] &ndash; The [[United Kingdom]] recognises the independent [[Orange Free State]]. * [[1863]] &ndash; A group of citizens from [[Geneva]] founds the International Committee for Relief of the Wounded, which later becomes the [[International Red Cross]]. * [[1864]] &ndash; [[American Civil War]]: The ''H. L. Hunley'' becomes the first [[submarine]] to engage and sink a warship, the USS ''Housatonic''. * [[1865]] &ndash; [[American Civil War]]: [[Union (American Civil War)|Union]] troops capture [[Columbia, South Carolina]]. As this state is particularly seen as responsible for starting the war, the city is virtually flattened. * [[1867]] &ndash; [[Gyula Andrassy]] is declared [[Prime Minister]] of [[Hungary]] after the creation of the co-operative monarchy of [[Austria-Hungary]]. * [[1871]] &ndash; The victorious [[Prussia]]n Army parades through [[Paris]] after the end of the [[Siege of Paris]] in the [[Franco-Prussian War]]. * [[1900]] &ndash; [[Wilhelm II of Germany]] declares the [[Western Samoa]]n Is