site.btaToday's Observances: April 17

The world:

- National Day of Syria: Independence Day (1946);

- World Haemophilia Day. Marked since 1989 on the initiative of the World Federation of Haemophilia and the World Health Organization.

On this date in Bulgarian history:

919: The Bulgarian autonomous archbishopric is proclaimed an independent patriarchate on the initiative of Tsar Simeon I.

1879: The First Grand National Assembly is convened in Veliko Turnovo and elects Alexander of Battenberg Prince of Bulgaria.

1931: Diplomatic relations are established with Denmark at legation level; upgraded to embassy level on December 10, 1964.  

1944: During bombings by Anglo-American aviation in World War II, Lt. Nedelcho Bonchev commits the second Bulgarian air ramming against a US bomber before bailing out.