Did you know
A chess prodigy, he won his first of a record eight US Championships at the age of 14.
Notable Deaths on January 17
2008 — Bobby Fischer
American chess player and author (born 1943)
January 17 has 131 recorded notable deaths across history, from 395 to 2025. This focused page highlights 20 people with the strongest available profile context.
By thisDay.info Editorial Team · — Wikipedia
Notable Deaths
131 source records
395 – 2025
Today in history
Major events on January 17
See what else happened on this day in history.
- 1992 During a visit to South Korea, Japanese Prime Minister Kiichi Miyazawa apologizes for forcing Korean women into sexual slavery during World War II. Source
- 1773 Captain James Cook leads the first expedition to sail south of the Antarctic Circle. Source
- 1649 The Second Ormonde Peace creates an alliance between the Irish Royalists and Confederates during the War of the Three Kingdoms. The coalition was then decisively defeated during the Cromwellian conquest of Ireland. Source
- 1873 A group of Modoc warriors defeats the United States Army in the First Battle of the Stronghold, part of the Modoc War. Source
Did you know
Rutherford B. Hayes was wounded five times, most seriously at the Battle of South Mountain in 1862.
Did you know
Theodosius I won two civil wars and was instrumental in establishing the Nicene Creed as the orthodox doctrine for Nicene Christianity.
Did you know
After four years at Huddersfield, he was signed by Manchester City for an estimated transfer fee of £55,000, which set a new British record.
Did you know
Georgia, he became the first person in almost ten years to be executed in the United States.
More major people who died on January 17
Notable people are ranked by substantive profile depth and public notability.
1893
Rutherford B. Hayes
American general, lawyer, and politician, 19th President of the United States (born 1822)
Rutherford Birchard Hayes was the 19th president of the United States, serving from 1877 to 1881.
395
Theodosius I
Roman emperor (born 347)
Theodosius I, also known as Theodosius the Great, was Roman emperor from 379 to 395. He won two civil wars and was instrumental in establishing the Nicene Creed as the orthodox doctrine for Nicene Christianity.
2025
Denis Law
Scottish footballer (born 1940)
Denis Law was a Scottish footballer who played as a forward. His career as a football player began at Second Division Huddersfield Town in 1956.
1977
Gary Gilmore
American murderer (born 1940)
Gary Mark Gilmore was an American criminal who gained international attention for demanding the implementation of his death sentence for two murders he had admitted to committing in Utah. After the U.S.
2010
Jyoti Basu
Indian politician and 9th Chief Minister of West Bengal (born 1914)
Jyoti Basu was an Indian Marxist theorist, communist activist, and politician. He was one of the most prominent leaders of the Communist movement in India.
1933
Louis Comfort Tiffany
American stained glass artist (born 1848)
Louis Comfort Tiffany was an American artist and designer who worked in the decorative arts and is best known for his work in art glass, especially stained glass and Favrile glass.
2022
Birju Maharaj
Indian dancer (born 1937)
Birju Maharaj was an Indian dancer, composer, singer, and exponent of the Lucknow "Kalka-Bindadin" Gharana of Kathak dance in India.
1888
Big Bear
Canadian tribal chief (born 1825)
Big Bear, also known as Mistahi-maskwa, was a powerful and popular Cree chief who played many pivotal roles in Canadian history.
1345
Martino Zaccaria
Genoese Lord of Chios
Martino Zaccaria was the Lord of Chios from 1314 to 1329, ruler of several other Aegean islands, and baron of Veligosti–Damala and Chalandritsa in the Principality of Achaea.
1588
Qi Jiguang
Chinese general (born 1528)
Qi Jiguang, courtesy name Yuanjing, art names Nantang and Mengzhu, posthumous name Wuyi, was a Chinese military general and writer of the Ming dynasty.
1936
Mateiu Caragiale
Romanian journalist, author, and poet (born 1885)
Mateiu Ion Caragiale, also credited as Matei or Matheiu, or in the antiquated version Mateiŭ, was a Romanian poet and prose writer, best known for his novel Craii de Curtea-Veche, which portrays the milieu of boyar…
1718
Benjamin Church
American colonel (born 1639)
Colonel Benjamin Church was a military officer and politician from the New England Colonies who is best known for his role in innovative military tactics notably developing unconventional warfare.
2025
Jules Feiffer
American cartoonist, playwright, screenwriter, and educator (born 1929)
Jules Ralph Feiffer was an American cartoonist and author, who at one time was considered the most widely read satirist in the country.
2012
Johnny Otis
American singer-songwriter and producer (born 1921)
Johnny Otis, born Ioannis Alexandres Veliotes, was an American singer, musician, composer, bandleader, record producer, talent scout, and preacher. He was a seminal influence on American R&B and rock and roll.
2004
Ray Stark
American film producer (born 1915)
Raymond Otto Stark was an American film producer and talent agent.
2023
Lucile Randon
French supercentenarian (born 1904)
Lucile Randon, also known as Sister André, was a French supercentenarian who, until her death at the age of 118 years, 340 days, was the world's oldest verified living person following the death of Kane Tanaka on 19…
2015
Faten Hamama
Egyptian actress and producer (born 1931)
Faten Ahmed Hamama was an Egyptian film and television actress and film producer. She made her screen debut in 1939, when she was only seven years old.
2025
Didier Guillaume
French politician, 25th Minister of State of Monaco (born 1959)
Didier Guillaume was a French politician who briefly served as minister of state of Monaco from 2024 until his death in 2025.
1040
Masʽud I
Sultan of the Ghaznavid Empire (born 998)
Masʽud I of Ghazni, known as Amīr-i Shahīd, was sultan of the Ghaznavid Empire from 1030 to 1040.