November 20th in History: Several significant events in history occurred on November 20th. From the demise of one of the most influential authors of all time and the launch of the Mexican Revolution to the formation of the biggest cycling tournament, November 20th holds a pivotal place in history. Read on to learn about the major events that took place on November 20th in history in the fields of politics, sports, technology, and art and expand your general knowledge.
Historical Events
- In 284, Roman cavalry commander Diocletian was proclaimed emperor by the troops after the deaths of Carus and his son Numerian. He brought stability to the empire with his reforms.
- In 1272, Edward I was proclaimed King of England after the death of his father, Henry III.
- In 1815, the Second Treaty of Paris was signed following the defeat of Napoleon in the Battle of Waterloo. France was ordered to pay heavy indemnities, and its borders were reduced.
- In 1820, the whaling ship Essex was sunk after an attack by a sperm whale in the South Pacific. Only eight of the 20 crew members survived through cannibalism. The incident inspired Herman Melville’s epic novel Moby-Dick.
- In 1910, Francisco Madero launched an armed revolution to overthrow the authoritarian rule of Porfirio Diaz. The plan failed but eventually gave rise to the Mexican Revolution.
- In 1931, British luxury car manufacturer Rolls-Royce announced the acquisition of Bentley Motors.
- In 1945, the Nuremberg war trials began with 24 Nazi leaders put before judges of Allied powers.
- In 1947, Queen Elizabeth II married Philip Mountbatten.
- In 1979, Islamic extremist militants in Saudi Arabia besieged the Masjid al-Haram in Mecca, the holiest site in Islam. They called for the overthrow of the House of Saud.
- In 1985, Microsoft Windows 1.0 operating system was released.
- In 1988, the first component of the International Space Station (ISS) was launched. The ISS is the largest man-made object in the solar system and serves as a microgravity and space environment research centre.
Sports Events
- In 1969, Brazilian football legend Pele scored his 1000th career goal in a match against Vasco da Gama in Rio.
- In 1955, Indian cricketer Kripal Singh scored a 100 on his Test Cricket debut versus New Zealand.
- In 1902, French sports journalist Geo Lefevre and cyclist Henri Desgrange created the cycling tournament Tour de France.
- In 1992, German tennis legend Boris Becker won his second ATP Tour World Championship after beating American Jim Courier in Frankfurt.
Art Events
- In 1805, famed composer Ludwig van Beethoven’s only opera, "Fidelio" premiered in Vienna.
- In 1906, acclaimed playwright George Bernard Shaw’s play "Doctor Dilemma" premiered in London.
- In 1929, Spanish surrealist painter Salvador Dali performed his first one-man show.
- In 2002, the 20th James Bond film, "Die Another Day," was released. The film marked Pierce Brosnan’s final film as James Bond.
Notable Demises
| Sr. No | Death Year | Personality |
| 1 | 1975 | Francisco Franco, Spanish general who assisted the Nationalist forces to overthrow the Second Spanish Republic during the Spanish Civil War. He became a dictator and ruled Spain from 1939 to 1975. |
| 2 | 2006 | Robert Altman, visionary American filmmaker known for his satirical and character-driven films like The Player and Gosford Park. |
| 3 | 1984 | Faiz Ahmad Faiz, Pakistani poet and author renowned for his work in Urdu and Punjabi literature. |
| 4 | 1910 | Leo Tolstoy, a Russian author widely considered one of the greatest writers of all time. He wrote the acclaimed books Anna Karenina and War and Peace. |
Famous Birthdays
| Sr. No | Birth Year | Personality |
| 1 | 1858 | Selma Lagerlof, Swedish author best known for her book The Wonderful Adventures of Nils. She was the first woman to win the Nobel Prize in Literature. |
| 2 | 1889
| Edwin Hubble, American astronomer known for discovering galaxies other than the Milky Way and observing that the expanding universe |
| 3 | 1924
| Benoit Mandelbrot, Polish-American mathematician, known for his discovery of fractal geometry. |
| 4 | 1925
| Robert F. Kennedy, American politician and former US Attorney General who advocated for the civil rights movement and against organised crime and the Mafia |
| 5 | 1942
| Joe Biden, American democratic politician, former Vice President, and 46th President |
| 6 | 1947
| Joe Walsh, American guitarist, singer, and songwriter who has performed with three successful bands: Eagles, James Gang, Ringo Starr & His All-Starr Band |
| 7 | 1962 | Rajkumar Hirani, Indian filmmaker best known for directing the superhits 3 Idiots and Munna Bhai M.B.B.S. |
| 8 | 1989 | Babita Kumari Phogat, Indian wrestler and 2014 Commonwealth Games Gold Medallist |
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