| 17 March 30 | Palestine [births and deaths] | Jesus Christ, Jewish religious teacher, probably crucified for sedition at this time, at Golgotha, Judea (c. 35). |
| 17 March 1040 | England [political events] | Harold I Harefoot, King of England, dies. He is succeeded by his brother, Harthacnut, King of Denmark. |
| 17 March 1328 | Scotland, England [Anglo–Scottish Wars 1296–1371)] | Under the Treaty of Edinburgh, King Edward III of England makes peace with Scotland, recognizing Robert the Bruce as king of Scotland. |
| 17 March 1649 | UK [political events] | The Rump Parliament in England officially abolishes the monarchy and two days later, as a result of its opposition to the trial of King Charles I, also abolishes the House of Lords. |
| 17 March 1672 | UK, United Netherlands, France [Anglo–Dutch Wars (1652–74)] | An engagement between the British navy and the Dutch Smyrna fleet off the Isle of Wight on 13 March is used as a pretext for Britain to declare war on the United Netherlands. The declaration fulfils British obligations to the French expressed in the secret Treaty of Dover and begins the third Anglo-Dutch war. Subsequently, on 6 April, the French also declare war on the Dutch. |
| 17 March 1834 | Germany [births and deaths] | Gottlieb Daimler, German mechanical engineer who builds one of the first successful cars powered by an internal combustion engine, born in Schorndorf, Württemberg (now Germany) (–1900). |
| 17 March 1848 | Prussia [revolution] | Demonstrations in the Prussian capital, Berlin, begin a revolution in Prussia for political reform and the creation of a united Germany. |
| 17 March 1860 | New Zealand, UK [wars] | The Second Maori War breaks out in New Zealand, arising out of grievances against British settlers encroaching on aboriginal territory. |
| 17 March 1861 | Italy [political events] | The kingdom of Italy is formally proclaimed by the first Italian parliament. King Victor Emmanuel is proclaimed king. |
| 17 March 1919 | [births and deaths] | Nat ‘King’ Cole, US jazz and popular singer, born in Montgomery, Alabama (–1965). |
| 17 March 1921 | Russia [political events] | At the 10th Congress of the Russian Communist Party, the Russian leader Vladimir Ilyich Lenin introduces his New Economic Policy, which restores some private business and freedom of trade; the forcible requisition of grain has led to famine and revolts. |
| 17 March 1973 | UK [popular music] | The British progressive rock band Pink Floyd releases the album The Dark Side of the Moon. It will sell 20 million worldwide and remain in the US top 200 albums for 17 years. |
| 17–18 March 2003 | UK [political events] | Dissension within the UK's ruling Labour Party over Prime Minister Tony Blair's support for a military response to disarm the regime of Saddam Hussein in Iraq is reflected in the resignation from the cabinet of Robin Cook (leader of the House of Commons and a former foreign secretary) and another record rebellion of backbench Labour members of Parliament in a subsequent Commons debate on the international crisis. |
| 17 March 2007 | England [football] | After several years delay in its construction and high budget overruns, the new 90,000- capacity Wembley Stadium in London finally opens as the national home of English football. |
