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On This Day in History: March 20

Explore the historical events that shaped our world on March 20th. From major milestones to cultural achievements, see what happened on this day in history. Dates for earlier events may be approximate.

43 BCE, March 20

The Roman poet Ovid (Publius Ovidius Naso), is born on March 20, 43 BCE, in Sulmo, Italy. He went on to be a celebrated Roman poet during the Augustan Age.

Circa 336, March

Pope Julius I, declared December 25th as the official date for the celebration of the Nativity. The decision was likely aimed to align the Christian celebration with existing Roman winter solstice festivals, such as Saturnalia, and Sol Invictus . The proclamation is believed to have been done c. March, 336

1413 CE, March 20

King Henry IV of England dies on March 20, 1413, and was succeeded by his son, Henry of Monmouth, who was crowned at Westminster Abbey on April 9, 1413 and became King Henry V.

1549 CE, March 20

The execution of Thomas Seymour for high treason takes place in London, on March 20, 1549. He was the brother of Jane Seymour uncle of King Edward VI and husband of Catherine Parr, Henry VIII' widow.

1602 CE, March 20

The Dutch East India Company is chartered by the Netherlands government, on March 20, 1602, to pursue trade expansion in Asia. as it challenges Portuguese dominance in the Asian spice trade.

1952 CE, March 20

The United States Senate ratifies the peace treaty with Japan on March 20, 1952, by a vote of 60 to 10, officially ending World War II.

1965 CE, March 20

President Lyndon B. Johnson places the Alabama National Guard under federal control on March 20, 1965, to protect a civil rights march from Selma to Montgomery to the state capital; dispatching 2,500 U.S. Army troops and 1,900 Alabama National Guard troops, along with FBI agents and U.S. Marshals to provide protection for the marchers.

1995 CE, March 20

Aum Shinrikyo, a Japanese doomsday cult, carries out a sarin gas attack on March, 20, 1995, by releasing several packages on the Tokyo subway system, killing 13 and injuring over 5000. The odorless, colorless, and highly toxic nerve gas was invented by the Nazis and is one of the most lethal nerve gases known to man.

2001 CE, March 20

The Taliban destroy two ancient statues of Buddha in Afghanistan's Bamiyan Valley.

2003 CE, March 20

The United States and its allies invade Iraq on March 20, 2003, after heavy airstrikes on Baghdad the day before. The stated War aim was to dismantle Saddam Hussein's regime based on allegations of weapons of mass destruction. The initial invasion toppled the government, rapidly but led to a long, costly insurgency.