**Exhibit3.17**

MERCANTILEBANKSHARES CORPORATION

ARTICLES OF AMENDMENT

MercantileBankshares Corporation, a Maryland corporation (the “Corporation”), herebycertifies to the State Department of Assessments and Taxation of Maryland that:

FIRST:  The charter of the Corporation is herebyamended by striking out all of the first unnumbered paragraph of Article FIFTHand inserting in lieu thereof the following:

“FIFTH: The total number of shares of stock which the Corporation has authorityto issue is Two Hundred and Two Million (202,000,000) shares divided into TwoHundred Million (200,000,000) shares of common stock, par value Two Dollars($2.00) per share, or an aggregate par value of Four Hundred Million Dollars($400,000,000), and Two Million (2,000,000) shares of preferred stock withoutpar value.”

SECOND:  The amendment of the charter of theCorporation as hereinabove set forth has been duly advised by the Board ofDirectors and approved by the stockholders of the Corporation in the manner andby the vote required by law.

THIRD:  The information required by Section2-607(b)(2)(i) of the Maryland General Corporation Law is not changed byforegoing amendment.

FOURTH:  (a) The total number of shares of all classes of stock of the Corporationwas authorized to issue immediately prior to the foregoing amendment, and thenumber and par value of the shares of each class were as follows:

One Hundred and Thirty Two Million (132,000,000)shares divided into One Hundred and Thirty Million (130,000,000) shares ofcommon stock, par value of Two Dollars ($2.00) per share, or an aggregate parvalue of Two Hundred Sixty Million Dollars ($260,000,000), and Two Million (2,000,000) sharesof preferred stock without par value.

(b)  The total number of shares of all classes ofstock of the Corporation as increased by the foregoing amendment, and thenumber and par value of the shares of each class, are as follows:

Two Hundred and Two Million (202,000,000) sharesdivided into Two Hundred Million (200,000,000) shares of common stock, parvalue of Two Dollars ($2.00) per share, or an aggregate par value of FourHundred Million Dollars ($400,000,000), and Two Million (2,000,000) shares ofpreferred stock without par value.

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(c)  The aggregate par value of all shares of allclasses of stock of the Corporation was authorized to issue immediately priorto the foregoing amendment was Two Hundred Sixty Million Dollars($260,000,000).  The aggregate par valueof all shares of all classes of authorized stock as increased by the foregoingamendment is Four Hundred Million Dollars ($400,000,000).

THE UNDERSIGNED,President of the Corporation, who executed on behalf of the Corporation theseArticles of Amendment, hereby acknowledges these Articles of Amendment to bethe act of the Corporation, and hereby certifies that, to the best of hisknowledge, information and belief, the matters and facts set forth herein thatare required to be verified under oath are true in all material respects, underthe penalties of perjury.

IN WITNESSWHEREOF, the Corporation has caused these Articles of Amendment to be signed inits name and on its behalf by its President and witnessed by its Secretary asof May 19, 2006.
| ATTEST:            |   |   | MERCANTILE BANKSHARES CORPORATION |
|--------------------|--------|--------|-----------------------------------|
|               |   |   |                              |
|               |   |   |                              |
| /s/ John L.  Unger |   | By:    |  /s/ Edward J.  Kelly, III   |
| John L. Unger      |   |   | Edward J. Kelly, III              |
| Secretary          |   |   | President                         |

 

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