This Day in History: April 17

1387: Geoffrey Chaucer's "Canterbury Tales" characters begin their pilgrimage to Canterbury (according to scholars)

In 1387, the English poet and author Geoffrey Chaucer began writing "The Canterbury Tales," a collection of stories told by a group of pilgrims on their way to the shrine of Saint Thomas Becket in Canterbury Cathedral. Although it is not entirely clear when Chaucer began writing the tales, some scholars believe that the pilgrims began their journey on this day in 1387.

1492: Christopher Columbus signs a contract with the Spanish monarchs to find the "Indies"

In 1492, Christopher Columbus, an Italian explorer, signed a contract with King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella of Spain to find a new route to the "Indies" and to spread the Catholic faith. Columbus promised to bring back gold, spices, and other riches, and was granted the titles of "Admiral of the Ocean Sea" and "Viceroy and Governor" of any lands he discovered.

1521: Martin Luther faces charges for his revolutionary religious writings

In 1521, the German monk Martin Luther was summoned to appear before the Diet of Worms to defend his writings, which challenged the authority of the Catholic Church and called for reform. Luther refused to recant his beliefs, famously declaring "Here I stand, I can do no other," and was subsequently excommunicated and declared an outlaw.

1895: Treaty of Shimonoseki is signed ending the First Sino-Japanese War (1894-95)

The Treaty of Shimonoseki was signed on April 17, 1895, between the Empire of Japan and the Qing dynasty of China, bringing an end to the First Sino-Japanese War. The treaty saw Japan gain control of Taiwan, the Pescadores Islands, and the Liaodong Peninsula, and marked the first major military victory of a non-European power over a European power in the modern era.

1961: 1,400 Cuban exiles land in Bay of Pigs in a doomed attempt to overthrow Fidel Castro

In 1961, a group of 1,400 Cuban exiles, trained and financed by the CIA, landed at the Bay of Pigs in Cuba in an attempt to overthrow the government of Fidel Castro. The invasion was a failure, with the exiles quickly being defeated by Cuban forces, and marked a major embarrassment for the United States government.

1975: Phnom Penh falls to the Khmer Rouge

In 1975, the capital city of Cambodia, Phnom Penh, fell to the Khmer Rouge, a communist group led by Pol Pot. The Khmer Rouge proceeded to carry out a brutal regime of genocide and torture, with estimates suggesting that up to two million people were killed during their four-year reign.

1978: Mir Akbar Khyber's assassination triggers a communist coup in Afghanistan

The assassination of Afghan President Mir Akbar Khyber in 1978 marked the beginning of a period of political turmoil in the country. A communist government, backed by the Soviet Union, came to power and introduced a series of reforms aimed at modernizing Afghan society, including equal rights for women and universal education. However, these reforms were met with resistance, and the country soon descended into civil war.</p