November 20

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Events

• 284 – Diocletian is chosen as Roman Emperor.
• 762 – During An Shi Rebellion, Tang Dynasty, with the help of Huihe tribe, recaptured Luoyang from the rebels.
• 1194 – Emperor Henry VI conquers Palermo.
• 1407 – A truce between John the Fearless, Duke of Burgundy and Louis of Valois, Duke of Orléans is agreed under the auspices of John, Duke of Berry. Orléans would be assassinated three days later by Burgundy.
• 1695 – Zumbi, the last of the leaders of Quilombo dos Palmares in early Brazil, is executed.
• 1700 – Great Northern War: Battle of Narva – King Charles XII of Sweden defeats the army of Tsar Peter the Great at Narva.
• 1789 – New Jersey becomes the first U.S. state to ratify the Bill of Rights.
• 1820 – An 80-ton sperm whale attacks the Essex (a whaling ship from Nantucket, Massachusetts) 2,000 miles from the western coast of South America (Herman Melville's 1851 novel Moby-Dick is in part inspired by this story).
• 1861 – American Civil War: Secession ordinance is filed by Kentucky's Confederate government.
• 1910 – Mexican Revolution: Francisco I. Madero issues the Plan de San Luis Potosi, denouncing President Porfirio Díaz, calling for a revolution to overthrow the government of Mexico, effectively starting the Mexican Revolution.
• 1917 – World War I: Battle of Cambrai begins – British forces make early progress in an attack on German positions but are later pushed back.
• 1917 – Ukraine is declared a republic.
• 1923 – The Rentenmark replaces the Papiermark as the official currency of Germany at the exchange rate of one Rentenmark to One Trillion (One Billion on the long scale) Papiermark
• 1936 – Jose Antonio Primo de Rivera, founder of the Falange, is killed by a republican execution squad.
• 1940 – World War II: Hungary becomes a signatory of the Tripartite Pact, officially joining the Axis Powers.
• 1943 – World War II: Battle of Tarawa ("Operation Galvanic") begins – United States Marines land on Tarawa Atoll in the Gilbert Islands and suffer heavy fire from Japanese shore guns and machine guns. Japanese casualties are much higher.
• 1945 – Nuremberg Trials: Trials of 24 Nazi war criminals begin at the Palace of Justice at Nuremberg.
• 1947 – The Princess Elizabeth marries Lieutenant Philip Mountbatten at Westminster Abbey in London.
• 1952 – Slánský trials – a series of Stalinist and anti-Semitic show trials in Czechoslovakia.
• 1962 – Cuban Missile Crisis ends: In response to the Soviet Union agreeing to remove its missiles from Cuba, U.S. President John F. Kennedy ends the quarantine of the Caribbean nation.
• 1969 – Vietnam War: The Cleveland Plain Dealer publishes explicit photographs of dead villagers from the My Lai massacre in Vietnam.
• 1974 – The United States Department of Justice files its final anti-trust suit against AT&T. This suit later leads to the break up of AT&T and its Bell System.
• 1975 – Francisco Franco, Caudillo of Spain, dies after 36 years in power.
• 1979 – Grand Mosque Seizure: About 200 Sunni Muslims revolt in Saudi Arabia at the site of the Kaaba in Mecca during the pilgrimage and take about 6000 hostages. The Saudi government receives help from French special forces to put down the uprising.
• 1984 – The SETI Institute is founded.
• 1985 – Microsoft Windows 1.0 is released.
• 1989 – Velvet Revolution: The number of protesters assembled in Prague, Czechoslovakia swells from 200,000 the day before to an estimated half-million.
• 1991 – Savings and loan crisis: The United States Senate Ethics Committee issues a stern censure of California senator Alan Cranston for his "dealings" with savings-and-loan executive Charles Keating.
• 1992 – In England, a fire breaks out in Windsor Castle, badly damaging the castle and causing over £50 million worth of damage.
• 1994 – The Angolan government and UNITA rebels sign the Lusaka Protocol in Zambia, ending 19 years of civil war (localized fighting resumes the next year).
• 1998 – A court in Taliban-controlled Afghanistan declares accused terrorist Osama bin Laden "a man without a sin" in regard to the 1998 U.S. embassy bombings in Kenya and Tanzania.
• 1998 – The first module of the International Space Station, Zarya, is launched.
• 2001 – In Washington, D.C., U.S. President George W. Bush dedicates the United States Department of Justice headquarters building as the Robert F. Kennedy Justice Building, honoring the late Robert F. Kennedy on what would have been his 76th birthday.
• 2003 – After the November 15 bombings, a second day of the 2003 Istanbul Bombings occurs in Istanbul, Turkey, destroying the Turkish head office of HSBC Bank AS and the British consulate.
• 2008 – After critical failures in the US financial system began to build up after mid-September, the Dow Jones Industrial Average reaches its lowest level since 1997.

Births

• 270 – Maximinus, Roman Emperor (d. 313)
• 1602 – Otto von Guericke, German physicist (d. 1686)
• 1620 – Peregrine White, first English child born in the Plymouth Colony (d. 1704)
• 1621 – Avvakum, Russian priest and writer (d. 1682)
• 1625 – Paulus Potter, Dutch painter (d. 1654)
• 1660 – Daniel Ernst Jablonski, German theologian (d. 1741)
• 1750 – Tippu Sultan, Indian ruler (d. 1799)
• 1761 – Pope Pius VIII (d. 1830)
• 1762 – Pierre André Latreille, French entomologist (d. 1833)
• 1765 – Sir Thomas Fremantle, British naval captain (d. 1819)
• 1781 – Karl Friedrich Eichhorn, German jurist (d. 1854)
• 1839 – Christian Wilberg, German painter (d. 1882)
• 1841 – Victor D'Hondt, Belgian mathematician (d. 1901)
• 1841 – Wilfrid Laurier, 8th Prime Minister of Canada (d. 1919)
• 1851 – Queen Margherita of Italy (d. 1926)
• 1858 – Selma Lagerlöf, Swedish author, Nobel laureate (d. 1940)
• 1864 – Erik Axel Karlfeldt, Swedish writer (d. 1931)
• 1866 – Kenesaw Mountain Landis, American judge and baseball commissioner (d. 1944)
• 1869 – Clark Griffith, American baseball manager (d. 1955)
• 1874 – James Michael Curley, 53^rd Governor of Massachusetts (d. 1958)
• 1880 – George McBride, American baseball player (d. 1973)
• 1882 – Andy Coakley, American baseball player and coach (d. 1963)
• 1884 – Norman Thomas, American political figure (d. 1968)
• 1886 – Karl von Frisch, Austrian zoologist, Nobel laureate (d. 1982)
• 1889 – Edwin Hubble, American astronomer (d. 1953)
• 1896 – Yevgenia Ginzburg, Russian writer (d. 1977)
• 1900 – Chester Gould, American comic strip artist (d. 1985)
• 1903 – Alexandra Danilova, Russian ballerina (d. 1997)
• 1903 – Ishtiaq Hussain Qureshi, Pakistani historian and educationist (d. 1981)
• 1905 – François, 9th duc de Noailles, French nobelman (d. 2009)
• 1907 – Fran Allison, American television personality (d. 1989)
• 1907 – Henri-Georges Clouzot, French film director (d. 1977)
• 1908 – Alistair Cooke, British-born journalist (d. 2004)
• 1910 – Willem Jacob van Stockum, Dutch physicist (d. 1944)
• 1912 – Otto von Habsburg, Austrian-German nobleman
• 1913 – Judy Canova, American actress (d. 1983)
• 1914 – Emilio Pucci, Italian fashion designer (d. 1992)
• 1915 – Kon Ichikawa, iconic Japanese film director (d. 2008)
• 1916 – Evelyn Keyes, American actress (d. 2008)
• 1917 – Robert Byrd, American politician
• 1917 – Bobby Locke, South African golfer (d. 1987)
• 1921 – Jim Garrison, American attorney and judge (d. 1992)
• 1921 – Phyllis Thaxter, American actress
• 1923 – Nadine Gordimer, South African writer, Nobel laureate
• 1924 – Benoît Mandelbrot, Polish-born French mathematician
• 1925 – Robert F. Kennedy, American politician (d. 1968)
• 1925 – Maya Plisetskaya, Russian ballet dancer
• 1926 – Kaye Ballard, American comic actress
• 1926 – Terry Hall, English ventriloquist (d. 2007)
• 1926 – Andrzej W. Schally, Polish endocrinologist, Nobel laureate
• 1927 – Estelle Parsons, American actress
• 1928 – Aleksey Batalov, Russian actor
• 1928 – John Disley, Welsh athlete
• 1929 – Don January, American professional golfer
• 1932 – Richard Dawson, English-American actor and game show host
• 1936 – Don DeLillo, American author
• 1937 – René Kollo, German tenor
• 1937 – Ruth Laredo, American pianist (d. 2005)
• 1937 – Eero Mäntyranta, Finnish cross-country skier
• 1937 – Viktoriya Tokareva, Russian playwright
• 1939 – Dick Smothers, American comedian
• 1940 – Bob Einstein, American actor and comedian
• 1941 – Haseena Moin, Pakistani television writer and playwright
• 1942 – Joe Biden, 47th Vice President of the United States
• 1942 – Norman Greenbaum, American singer
• 1942 – Meredith Monk, American composer and choreographer
• 1942 – Paulos Faraj Rahho, Iraqi bishop (d. 2008)
• 1943 – Veronica Hamel, American actress
• 1944 – Louie Dampier, American basketball player
• 1945 – Rick Monday, American baseball player
• 1945 – Nanette Workman, American-born Canadian singer and actress
• 1946 – Duane Allman, American guitarist (The Allman Brothers Band) (d. 1971)
• 1946 – Greg Cook, American football player
• 1946 – Judy Woodruff, American TV anchor
• 1946 – Samuel E. Wright, American film and theater actor (voice of Sebastian in Disney's The Little Mermaid)
• 1947 – Joe Walsh, American musician (Eagles, James Gang)
• 1948 – John R. Bolton, American ambassador
• 1948 – Barbara Hendricks, American/Swedish singer
• 1948 – Richard Masur, American actor
• 1949 – Thelma Drake, American politician
• 1949 – Jeff Dowd, American film producer
• 1951 – David Walters, American politician
• 1951 – Rodger Bumpass, American voice actor
• 1952 – John Van Boxmeer, Canadian hockey player
• 1954 – Berit Andnor, Swedish politician
• 1954 – Steve Dahl, American radio personality
• 1956 – Bo Derek, American actress
• 1956 – Mark Gastineau, American football player
• 1957 – Stefan Bellof, German race car driver (d. 1985)
• 1957 – Mike Craven, English footballer
• 1958 – Rickson Gracie, Brazilian Mixed Martial Artist
• 1959 – James P. McGovern, American politician
• 1959 – Sean Young, American actress
• 1960 – Marc Labrèche, Canadian actor and television host
• 1961 – Tim Harvey, British racing driver
• 1961 – Larry Karaszewski, American screenwriter
• 1961 – Dave Watson, English footballer
• 1963 – Timothy Gowers, British mathematician
• 1963 – Ming-Na Wen, Macau actress
• 1964 – Leonardo Medeiros, Brazilian actor
• 1965 – Mike D, American musician (Beastie Boys)
• 1965 – Sen Dog, Cuban rapper (Cypress Hill)
• 1965 – Yoshiki Hayashi, Japanese musician (X Japan)
• 1965 – Jimmy Vasser, American racing driver
• 1966 – Kevin Gilbert, American musician (d. 1996)
• 1966 – Thanasis Kolitsidakis, Greek footballer
• 1966 – Jill Thompson, American comic book writer and artist
• 1967 – Chris Childs, American basketball player
• 1967 – Teoman, Turkish rock singer
• 1968 – Tommy Asinga, Surinamese track star
• 1969 – Callie Thorne, American actor
• 1969 – Dabo Swinney, College football coach
• 1970 – Matt Blunt, American politician
• 1970 – Delia Gonzalez, American boxer
• 1970 – Geoffrey Keezer, American jazz pianist
• 1970 – Sabrina Lloyd, American actress
• 1970 – Joe Zaso, American actor
• 1971 – Joey Galloway, American football player
• 1971 – Joel McHale, American actor and comedian
• 1971 – Marco Oppedisano, American guitarist and composer
• 1972 – Sheema Kalbasi, Iranian poet
• 1974 – Memos Begnis, Greek actor
• 1975 – Dierks Bentley, American singer
• 1975 – J. D. Drew, American baseball player
• 1975 – Davey Havok, American singer (AFI)
• 1975 – Jeffrey Lewis, American anti-folk singer/songwriter and comic book artist
• 1976 – Dominique Dawes, American gymnast
• 1976 – Tusshar Kapoor, Indian actor
• 1976 – Jason Thompson, Canadian actor
• 1976 – Theodoros Velkos, badminton player
• 1977 – Rudy Charles, American professional wrestling referee
• 1977 – Daniel Svensson, Swedish drummer
• 1977 – Josh Turner, American singer
• 1978 – Ryan Leslie, American singer/songwriter
• 1978 – Freya Lin, Taiwanese singer
• 1978 – Nadine Velazquez, American actress and model
• 1979 – Ericson Alexander Molano, Colombian gospel singer
• 1979 – Maree Bowden, New Zealand netball player (Silver Ferns)
• 1980 – James Chambers, English footballer
• 1981 – Carlos Boozer, American basketball player
• 1981 – Kimberley Walsh, English singer (Girls Aloud)
• 1982 – Margo Stilley, American actress
• 1984 – Tashard Choice, American football player
• 1984 – Ferdinando Monfardini, Italian racing driver
• 1985 – Juan Cruz Álvarez, Argentine racing driver
• 1985 – Dan Byrd, American actor
• 1985 – Aaron Yan, Taiwanese singer and actor (Fahrenheit)
• 1986 – Jared Followill, American rock musician
• 1988 – Rhys Wakefield, Australian actor
• 1989 – Cody Linley, American actor
• 1992 – Maiha Ishimura, Japanese pop singer

Deaths

• 869 – King Edmund of East Anglia (b. 841)
• 1022 – Bernward of Hildesheim (b. 993)
• 1316 – King John I of France (b. 1316)
• 1437 – Thomas Langley, Bishop of Durham (b. 1363)
• 1518 – Marmaduke Constable, English soldier
• 1518 – Pierre de La Rue, Flemish composer
• 1529 – Karl von Miltitz, papal nuncio
• 1591 – Christopher Hatton, English politician (b. 1540)
• 1612 – John Harington, English writer (b. 1561)
• 1651 – Mikołaj Potocki, Polish soldier (b. 1595)
• 1662 – Archduke Leopold Wilhelm of Austria, Governor of the Spanish Netherlands (b. 1614)
• 1695 – Zumbi, Brazilian runaway slave (b. 1655)
• 1704 – Charles Plumier, French botanist (b. 1646)
• 1737 – Caroline of Ansbach, Queen of George II of Great Britain (b. 1683)
• 1742 – Melchior de Polignac, French diplomat (b. 1661)
• 1758 – Johan Helmich Roman, Swedish composer (b. 1694)
• 1764 – Christian Goldbach, Prussian mathematician (b. 1690)
• 1778 – Francesco Cetti, Italian Jesuit scientist (b. 1726)
• 1856 – Farkas Bolyai, Hungarian mathematician (b. 1775)
• 1894 – Anton Rubinstein, Russian pianist and composer (b. 1829)
• 1903 – Tom Horn, American gunman (hanged) (b. 1861)
• 1908 – Georgy Voronoy, Russian mathematician (b. 1868)
• 1910 – Leo Nikolayevich Tolstoy, Russian novelist (b. 1828)
• 1925 – Queen Alexandra of the United Kingdom (b. 1844)
• 1934 – Willem de Sitter, Dutch scientist (b. 1872)
• 1936 – Buenaventura Durruti, Spanish anarchist (b. 1896)
• 1936 – José Antonio Primo de Rivera, Spanish politician (b. 1903)
• 1938 – Enzo Matsunaga, Japanese writer (b. 1895)
• 1938 – Maud, Queen of Norway (b. 1869)
• 1945 – Francis William Aston, British chemist, Nobel laureate (b. 1877)
• 1950 – Francesco Cilea, Italian composer (b. 1866)
• 1951 – Thomas Quinlan (impresario) (b. 1881)
• 1954 – Clyde Vernon Cessna, American aviation designer (b. 1879)
• 1957 – Mstislav Dobuzhinsky, Russian-Lithuanian artist (d. 1875)
• 1960 – Ya'akov Cohen, Israeli poet (b. 1881)
• 1973 – Allan Sherman, American comedian (b. 1924)
• 1975 – Francisco Franco, Head of State of Spain (1936-1975) (b. 1892)
• 1976 – Trofim Lysenko, Russian biologist (b. 1898)
• 1978 – Vasilisk Gnedov, Russian poet (b. 1890)
• 1980 – John McEwen, eighteenth Prime Minister of Australia (b. 1900)
• 1983 – Marcel Dalio, French actor (b. 1900)
• 1994 – John Lucarotti, British-born Canadian screenwriter (b. 1926)
• 1995 – Sergei Grinkov, Russian figure skater (b. 1967)
• 1997 – Dick Littlefield, American baseball player (b. 1926)
• 1998 – Galina Starovoitova, Russian politician (b. 1946)
• 1999 – Amintore Fanfani, Italian politician and prime minister (b. 1908)
• 2000 – Mike Muuss, American computer programmer (b. 1958)
• 2000 – Kalle Päätalo, Finnish writer (b. 1919)
• 2002 – Nina Elias-Bamberger, executive producer (b. 1954)
• 2003 – Robert Addie, British actor (cancer) (b. 1960)
• 2003 – Loris Azzaro, French fashion designer (b. 1933)
• 2003 – David Dacko, Central African politician (b. 1930)
• 2003 – Eugene Kleiner, American entrepreneur (b. 1923)
• 2003 – Roger Short, British Consulate General (b. 1944)
• 2003 – Jim Siedow, American actor (b. 1920)
• 2003 – Kerem Yilmazer, Turkish actor (b. 1945)
• 2004 – David Grierson, Canadian radio host (b. 1955)
• 2004 – Jenny Ross, English musician (Section 25) (b. 1962)
• 2005 – Manouchehr Atashi, Iranian poet (b. 1931)
• 2005 – Sheldon Gardner, American psychologist (b. 1934)
• 2005 – James King, American singer (b. 1925)
• 2005 – Chris Whitley, American musician (b. 1960)
• 2005 – Nora Denney, American actress (b. 1927)
• 2006 – Robert Altman, American film director (b. 1925)
• 2006 – Zoia Ceauşescu, Romanian mathematician (b. 1950)
• 2006 – Andre Waters, American football player (b. 1962)
• 2007 – Ian Smith, Rhodesian politician (b. 1919)
• 2008 – Bennie Gonzales, American architect (b. 1924)
• 2008 – Sven Inge, Swedish painter and modern artist (b. 1935)
• 2009 – Lino Lacedelli, Italian mountaineer (b. 1925)
• 2009 – Max Robertson, British sports commentator, radio and television presenter and author (b. 1915)

Holidays and observances

• Universal Children's Day – Also the national (official or unofficial) Children's Day in Bangladesh, Canada, Egypt and Pakistan
• Argentina – Day of National Sovereignty
• Brazil – Zumbi Day (since 1978)
• Mexico – Anniversary of the Revolution (1910)
• United Kingdom – wedding day of Queen Elizabeth II (1947), official flag day
• Vietnam – Teacher's Day (since 1982)
• Church of England – Edmund the Martyr
• Roman Catholic – Feast of Saint Bernward of Hildesheim

External links

• »BBC: On This Day
• »On This Day in Canada