Date·Lore

On This Day · The 324th day of the year

November 20

November 20 carries 10 recorded events spanning between 284 and 1993. Diocletian is chosen as Roman emperor.

♏ZodiacScorpio ◈BirthstoneTopaz ❀Birth flowerChrysanthemum

Compiled & reviewed by · Last reviewed July 13, 2026

What happened on November 20?

November 20 is the 324th day of the year. It marks 10 notable events in history, dated between 284 and 1993. Famous people born on November 20 include Timothy Kitum, Rodger Bumpass and Pope Pius VIII.

The shape of the day

This year marks the 250th anniversary of American Revolutionary War — November 20 carries the weight of round numbers. Its center of gravity is the 20th century, and conflict is a recurring thread.

Scorpio is the sign for November 20 — read more on the Scorpio page, or see November's birthstone & birth flower.

Released on November 20

Movies, games, albums & shows

2025

  • Game Kirby Air Riders
  • Game Neon Inferno

2024

  • Game S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl
  • Game Luma Island

2023

  • Game Worldless

Release data from TMDB & IGDB.

Events

10 notable moments
  1. 284

    Diocletian

    Diocletian is chosen as Roman emperor.

  2. 1776

    American Revolutionary War

    American Revolutionary War: British forces land at the Palisades and then attack Fort Lee. The Continental Army starts to retreat across New Jersey.

  3. 1917

    World War I

    World War I: Battle of Cambrai begins: British forces make early progress in an attack on German positions but are later pushed back.

  4. 1945

    Nuremberg trials

    Nuremberg trials: Trials against 24 Nazi war criminals start at the Palace of Justice at Nuremberg.

  5. 1947

    Elizabeth II

    The Princess Elizabeth (the future Queen) marries Lieutenant Philip Mountbatten, who becomes the Duke of Edinburgh, at Westminster Abbey in London.

  6. 1974

    Boeing 747

    The first fatal crash of a Boeing 747 occurs when Lufthansa Flight 540 crashes while attempting to takeoff from Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi, Kenya, killing 59 out of the 157 people on board.

  7. 1977

    Egypt

    Egyptian President Anwar Sadat becomes the first Arab leader to officially visit Israel, when he meets Israeli prime minister Menachem Begin and speaks before the Knesset in Jerusalem, seeking a permanent peace settlement.

  8. 1979

    Grand Mosque seizure

    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 6,000 hostages. The Saudi government receives help from French special forces to put down the uprising.

  9. 1990

    Andrei Chikatilo

    Andrei Chikatilo, one of the Soviet Union's most prolific serial killers, is arrested; he eventually confesses to 56 killings.

  10. 1993

    North Macedonia

    North Macedonia's deadliest aviation disaster occurs when Avioimpex Flight 110, a Yakovlev Yak-42, crashes near Ohrid Airport, killing all 116 people on board.

Famous birthday twins

Born on November 20

Timothy Kitum

b. 1994

Kenyan middle-distance runner

Rodger Bumpass

b. 1951

American actor and singer

Pope Pius VIII

b. 1761

Head of the Catholic Church from 1829 to 1830

Joe Biden

b. 1942

American politician, 46th President of the United States

Emperor Taizong of Song

b. 939

Emperor of China from 976 to 997

Tipu Sultan

b. 1750

Indian ruler

Nigel Gibbs

b. 1965

English footballer and coach

Robert F. Kennedy

b. 1925

US Navy officer, lawyer, and politician, 64th United States Attorney General

Deaths

  • 2013Dieter Hildebrandt
  • 1980John McEwen
  • 1975Francisco Franco
  • 1910Leo Tolstoy
  • 1316John I of France
  • 284Numerian

Holidays & observances

  • —20-N (Spain)
  • —Africa Industrialization Day (international)
  • —Black Awareness Day (Brazil)
  • —Children's Day (World Children's Day)
  • —Christian feast day: Agapius
  • —Christian feast day: Ambrose Traversari
  • —Christian feast day: Ampelus and Caius
  • —Christian feast day: Blessed Anacleto González Flores, José Sánchez del Río, and companions (Martyrs of Cristero War)

Historical facts, event summaries, and biographical lines above are adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike (CC BY-SA) license. DateLore adds curation, structure, and original editorial commentary. DateLore is not affiliated with the Wikimedia Foundation.

About the author

Roman Tailor compiles and reviews every date on DateLore. He's the writer and editor behind the site's editorial essays and the day-by-day almanac. Corrections and questions are welcome — read more about DateLore or get in touch.

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