Browse Historical Events by Day: What Happened on January 20th?

January 20 - The Byzantine Empire defeats the Abbasid Caliphate at the Battle of Lalakaon.

Constantine VIII, Byzantine Emperor, dies, ending the Macedonian dynasty.

The Crusaders besiege the city of Arqa, an important strategic point in Lebanon, during the First Crusade.

King Richard I's brother, John, becomes King of England after Richard's death.

King Philip II of France marries Agnes of Merania.

The first English Parliament summoned by Simon de Montfort meets in London.

Alfonso X is crowned King of Castile and León.

John Balliol is crowned King of Scotland.

Emperor Henry VII is crowned Holy Roman Emperor by Pope Clement V in Rome.

The Scots under Sir Andrew Murray defeat the English at the Battle of Happrew, part of the Second War of Scottish Independence.

King Charles VI of France is crowned at Reims Cathedral at the age of 11 following the death of his father, Charles V.

The Council of Constance is convened, aiming to resolve the Western Schism and address church reform.

The Treaty of Berwick is signed, ending hostilities between England and Scotland.

The Ming dynasty in China falls as Beijing is captured by Li Zicheng's rebel forces.

Charles II of England is crowned king of Scotland at Scone.

Oliver Cromwell dissolves the English Parliament, leading to the establishment of the Protectorate.

England, the Dutch Republic, and Sweden sign the Triple Alliance against France.

The Siege of Gibraltar ends with the lifting of the Spanish and French blockade.

The Argentine Primera Junta is established, marking the beginning of Argentina's independence from Spain.

The United States Senate ratifies the Treaty of Paris, officially ending the Spanish-American War.

The first public radio broadcast takes place in the United States, a live performance from the Metropolitan Opera House in New York City.

The first transatlantic telephone service is established between New York and London.

Dwight D. Eisenhower is inaugurated as the 34th President of the United States.

Jimmy Carter is inaugurated as the 39th President of the United States.

Ronald Reagan is inaugurated as the 40th President of the United States.

The Iran Hostage Crisis finally came to an end within hours from President Ronald Reagan inauguration and the hostages were brought to Germany for family reunions. More

George H. W. Bush is inaugurated as the 41st President of the United States.

Yasser Arafat is elected President of the newly created Palestinian National Authority (PNA) with 88.1 percent of the popular vote and a high voter turnout, despite the campaign by his rivals to abstain.

Barack Obama is inaugurated as the 44th President of the United States.

Donald Trump is inaugurated as the 45th President of the United States.

The first case of COVID-19 in the United States was diagnosed in Snohomish County, WA. The patient from had returned to the United States from Wuhan on January 15, 2020. The Seattle area became an early epicenter of the U.S. outbreak. Notably, 39 residents of a nursing home in Kirkland, WA, died from complications from the virus during a span of one month. The CDC reported that 14 U.S. coronavirus cases were reported by public health agencies between January 21 and February 23, 2020; all patients had traveled to China. On February 26, the first non-travel case was confirmed in California, and the first U.S. death was reported on February 29. More than 110 Million cases were diagnosed in the U.S. alone.

Joe Biden is inaugurated as the 46th President of the United States, and Kamala Harris becomes the first female Vice President.