Diocletian is proclaimed as the Roman emperor, marking the beginning of the Tetrarchy.
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What Happened Today in History on November 20
Explore the historical events that shaped our world on November 20th. From major milestones to cultural achievements, see what happened on this day in history. Dates for earlier events may be approximate.
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Henry IV, Holy Roman Emperor, dies, and his son Henry V succeeds him.
Pope Martin IV is elected as the 189th pope of the Roman Catholic Church.
King Robert the Bruce of Scotland dies, and his son, David II, succeeds him as King.
The Battle of Ankara takes place between the forces of Timur (Tamerlane) and the Ottoman Empire, resulting in a decisive victory for Timur.
The Treaty of Granada is signed, allowing Muslims in Spain to practice their religion freely under the Catholic Monarchs.
Oman's National Day. Officially the Sultanate of Oman, annual celebration of the founding of the Al Bu Said dynasty, which has ruled Oman since 1744.
Oman is a country located on the southeastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula in West Asia and the Middle East. It borders Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Yemen and the Arabian Sea to the southeast and the Gulf of Oman on the northeast. Oman has an estimated population of 5,5 Million.
The United States and Great Britain sign the Treaty of Amiens, ending hostilities during the Napoleonic Wars.
The American whaling ship Essex, under the command of Captain George Pollard Jr. is rammed by a sperm whale and later sank. Although all 20 crewmen initially survived, only 8 were rescued following an arduous journey that devolved into cannibalism. The sinking inspired in part the climactic scene in Herman Melville’s Moby Dick (1851). More
The Mexican Revolution begins as Francisco Madero, speaking at San Luis Potosi, in San Antonio, Texas, calls for an uprising against the elitist government and oligarchical policies of Porfirio Díaz who had already being in power for 33 years and had just just declared himself the winner after a mock election against Madero and was starting his 7th term as president.
Although the revolt failed, it kindled revolutionary movements led by Pascual Orozco, Pancho Villa and Emiliano Zapata. All culminating with Díaz resignation in May 25,1911 and Madero being elected president, Madero was assassinated early in 1913 by Victoriano Huerta, a commander of the federal forces who dissolved the congress and assumed power. More upheavals followed and the revolution continued until 1920 when General Álvaro Obregón rose to power. More
The Nuremberg Trials of Nazi war criminals begin in Germany. More
The first module of the International Space Station, named Zarya, is launched into orbit.
SpaceX launches its Starship prototype for the first time on a suborbital flight.