January 17

Today in History
• 1501 - Cesare Borgia returns in triumph to Rome from Romagna
• 1536 - Francois Rabelais absolved of apostasy by Pope Paul III
• 1562 - Edict of St. Germain recognizes Huguenots in France
• 1595 - French king Henri IV declares war on Spain
• 1584 - Bohemia adopts Gregorian calendar
• 1773 - Captain James Cook becomes 1st to cross Antarctic Circle
• 1775 - 9 old women burnt as witches for causing bad harvests, Kalisk, Pol
• 1861 - Flush toilet patented by Mr. Thomas Crapper

Holidays - Traditional and Obscure
• Benjamin Franklin Day
• Cable Car Day
• Customer Service Day
• National Bootlegger’s Day
• National Hot Heads Chili Day
• National Ta Day
• Popeye Day
• Printing Ink Day

Birthdays
• 1342 - Philip, the Bold, duke of Burgundy
• 1463 - Frederick III, the Wise, elector of Saxony, 1486-25, protector Luther
• 1504 - Pius V, Antonio Ghislieri saint, pope, 1566 - 1772
• 1706 - Benjamin Franklin, Boston, kite flyer, statesman, and inventor
• 1732 - Stanislaw II August Poniatowski, last king of Poland, 1764-95
• 1759 - Paul Cuffe, Mass, merchant/shipbuilder/African American nationalist
• 1806 - James Madison Randolph, 1st to be born in the White House
• 1829 - Catherine Booth, Co-founder of the Salvation Army