September 17

Charles the Simple Born

A Carolingian king with a misleading name

Charles the Simple, whose epithet meant 'straightforward' rather than foolish, was born into the declining Carolingian dynasty. As king of West Francia, his most significant act was granting Normandy to the Viking chieftain Rollo, a pragmatic decision that transformed raiders into settlers and gave the world the Normans.

Battle of Mabitac

Filipino guerrillas score another victory

During the Philippine-American War, Filipino forces under General Juan Cailles defeated an American column at Mabitac. The battle was another guerrilla victory demonstrating the difficulty of pacifying a determined resistance. The Philippine insurgency foreshadowed the asymmetric conflicts that would define twentieth-century warfare.

People's Liberation Army Air Force Airborne

The People's Liberation Army Air Force Airborne Corps (Then known as the PLAAF 1st Ground Forces Brigade) is founded.