What Happened Today in History on July 17

The Siege of Constantinople begins during the Fourth Crusade as Roman Catholic Crusaders, aboard a Venetian fleet, attack the city resulting in the Sack of Constantinople, the fleeing of the reigning emperor, Alexios III and the crowning of Isaac II and Alexios IV as co-emperors. More

The Joseon Dynasty is established in Korea with the crowning of King Taejo as the first king of Joseon.

American mechanical engineer Willis Carrier, completes the design drawings for the first modern air conditioner while working for the Buffalo Forge Company. Carrier's system involved passing air through coils filled with cold water to cool the air and remove excess moisture, a significant advancement over previous methods. It was the first system to control both temperature and humidity, making it a groundbreaking innovation. Realizing the potential that humidity control and air conditioning could have, Carrier and six engineers eventually left to form Carrier Engineering Corporation. More

British King, George V, declares that he and all his descendants would be going by Windsor. Both in a “House of Windsor” capacity and as an official last name. Before George V picked Windsor, the royals were going by the “House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha.” The change came about because of the strong anti-German sentiment following World War I. In 1960, Queen Elizabeth II and her husband Prince Philip announced the creation of a brand-new last name for their untitled descendants which honored both their families: Mountbatten-Windsor. But did not change the name of the House, which is still the House of Windsor.

The Spanish Civil War begins. A well-planned military uprising splits the country in half in just  a few days, with one zone controlled by the government (known as Republicans, Loyalists, or Reds), and the other by the rebels (also referred to as Nationalists, Fascists, or Whites) led by Franco. An estimated half million people perished during the civil war which lasted until 1939. Franco ruled Spain as a dictator for almost 40 years until his death in 1975. More

The Potsdam Conference begins on July 17, 1945 as Soviet leader Joseph Stalin, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill and U.S. President Harry Truman start a multi day meeting in Potsdam, Germany, to negotiate terms for the end of World War II.  Expand +

Disneyland, in Anaheim, California, has its Grand Opening after a year of construction and a $17 Million investment. The opening was a special 'International Press Preview' event, which was only open to the six thousand invited guests. More

TWA Flight 800 departed Kennedy International Airport in New York bound for Paris but exploded in mid-air 12 minutes after takeoff. All 212 passengers and 17 crew members on board were killed. Although it could not be determined with certainty, the likely ignition source was a short circuit. Problems with the aircraft's wiring were found, including evidence of arcing in the fuel quantity indication system (FQIS) wiring that enters the tank. More

The International Criminal Court (ICC) is established by the Rome Statute Treaty to prosecute individuals for genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, and crimes of aggression. It entered into force on July 1, 2002, after 60 countries ratified the treaty, officially establishing the Court as a functional body headquartered in The Hague, Netherlands. Expand +

Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 is shot down over Ukraine by a Russian-made surface-to-air missile, fired by Moscow-backed separatists. In January of 2023, the European Court of Human Rights confirmed Russia's involvement in the downing of flight MH17. More