History Trivia

October 17

 

539 BC King Cyrus The Great of Persia marched into the city of Babylon, releasing the Jews from almost 70 years of exile and making the first Human Rights Declaration.

 

532 Pope Boniface II died.

 

733 Battle at Poitiers: Charles Martel (grandfather of Charlemagne) defeated Abd al-Rachmans Omajjaden, and halted a northward Islamic expansion into western Europe.

 

1091 A tornado struck the heart of London which destroyed the rebuilt Norman London Bridge.

 

1346 Battle of Neville's Cross: King David II of Scotland was captured by Edward III of England near Durham, and imprisoned in the Tower of London for eleven years.

 

 

 

 

 

1404 Innocent VII became Pope.  During his pontificate, Innocent summoned a council in an attempt to heal the Western Schism but it never assembled.

 

 1529 Henry VIII of England stripped Thomas Wolsey of his office for failing to secure an annulment of his marriage.