This Day In History, January 17th.
Five Historical Events That Happened on January 17th.
The Roman Empire was divided into an eastern and a western half when Emperor Theodosius I passed away at Mediolanum (Milan) in 395. His son Arcadius succeeds him as Eastern Emperor.
Pope Gregory XI moved the Papacy from Avignon back to Rome in 1377, putting an end to the Avignon Papacy.
The Antarctic Circle was first crossed by recorded Europeans in 1773 by Captain James Cook and his party.
Wake Island in the Pacific Ocean was taken over by the US in 1899.
1991 - The U.S.-led coalition launches airstrikes against Iraq in retaliation for its invasion of Kuwait, kicking off Operation Desert Storm.
This Day In History, January 17th 395 – Emperor Theodosius I dies in Mediolanum (Milan), the Roman Empire is split into an eastern and a western half, and his son Arcadius becomes Eastern Emperor.
The last emperor to rule over both the eastern and western halves of the Roman Empire was Theodosius I. His two sons received equal shares of the empire after his passing: Honorius became the Western Roman Emperor and Arcadius the Eastern Roman Emperor. The Byzantine Empire was established at this time and lasted for a further thousand years in the eastern part of the ancient Roman Empire.
Pope Gregory XI moves the Papacy back to Rome from Avignon ending the Avignon Papacy.
During the Avignon Papacy, which lasted from 1309 until 1377, seven successive popes choose to live at Avignon, France, rather than Rome, Italy. The decision was made for political reasons, but others who felt that the Pope should be located in Rome were outraged and criticized the relocation. Pope Gregory XI, the final pope to reside in Avignon, made the decision to relocate the Papacy back to Rome in 1377. The Avignon pope came to an end at this time, and the Western Schism, a period of church history defined by numerous rival claims to the pope, began.
Captain James Cook and his crew become the first recorded Europeans to cross the Antarctic Circle.
Captain James Cook and his company did explore the Southern Ocean and made substantial advances to our understanding of Antarctica, but they did not really cross the Antarctic Circle.
Cook's travels occurred in the late 18th century, and during his third journey (1776-1779), he attempted to encircle Antarctica. His ships were compelled to return because he was unable to break through the thick pack ice surrounding the continent. Cook and his team were the closest European explorers to the Antarctic Circle, although they did not really cross it. The Antarctic Circle was not crossed by recorded Europeans until the early 19th century when explorers like Edward Bransfield and Fabian von Bellingshausen made significant discoveries on the continent.
The United States takes possession of Wake Island in the Pacific Ocean.
A coral atoll called Wake Island is situated in the western Pacific Ocean roughly halfway between Hawaii and Guam. During the Spanish-American War in 1898, the US seized control of Hawaii and started to grow its power in the Pacific. The United States took control of Wake Island the next year when a small contingent of American Navy sailors landed there and flew the American flag.
Wake Island has over the years served as a vital refueling station and critical airport for American military operations in the Pacific. The U.S. military still makes use of the island, which saw action in a significant battle during World War II.
Operation Desert Storm begins, with the U.S.-led coalition launching air strikes against Iraq in response to its invasion of Kuwait.
A new era in military strategy and technology was inaugurated by Operation Desert Storm, which was widely viewed as a significant military victory for the alliance.In response to Iraq's invasion of Kuwait in August 1990, a coalition led by the United States launched Operation Desert Storm. After months of preparation and diplomatic work, the coalition launched a large air campaign against Iraq on January 17, 1991, with the intention of destroying its military infrastructure and compelling it to leave Kuwait. Following the air campaign, which included more than 1,000 aircraft from numerous nations, a land offensive that started on February 24, 1991, was launched.