Events on March 17

Date	Type	Event
17 March 766	Births	(17 March) The 5th Abbasid Caliph Harun al-Rashid was born in Ray (now in Iran). He ascended the throne in September 786 at the age of 20. During his reign, the dynasty's power and prosperity were at their peak. Harun was also a great patron of the arts and scholarship and inspired a great cultural renaissance.