June 20
Overview
Holidays & Observances
Christianfeast day:
Adalbert of Magdeburg, Florentina, John of Matera, BlessedMargareta Ebner, Methodius of Olympus, Pope Silverius, June 20 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
An Eastern Orthodox feast day commemorating several saints, including Adalbert of Magdeburg, Florentina, John of Matera, Blessed Margareta Ebner, Methodius of Olympus, and Pope Silverius.
Day of the National Flag (Argentina)
A public holiday in Argentina honoring the creation of the national flag and commemorating its designer, Manuel Belgrano.
Gas Sector Day(Azerbaijan)
An Azerbaijani observance celebrating the significance of the gas industry to the country's economy and development.
Martyrs' Day (Eritrea)
A national holiday in Eritrea honoring individuals who lost their lives fighting for the country's independence.
West Virginia Day(West Virginia)
A state public holiday commemorating West Virginia's admission to the Union on June 20, 1863.
World Refugee Day(International)
An annual United Nations observance dedicated to honoring refugees around the globe and raising awareness of their experiences.
Adalbert of Magdeburg
Feast day of Saint Adalbert of Magdeburg, the first archbishop of Magdeburg and missionary to the Slavic peoples.
Florentina
Feast day of Saint Florentina, a 6th-century Spanish nun and abbess known for her piety and scholarship.
John of Matera
Feast day of Saint John of Matera, a 12th-century Italian hermit and founder of the Basilian monastic congregation.
Events
Battle of Chalons: Flavius Aetius battles Attila the Hun. After the battle, which was inconclusive, Attila retreats, causing the Romans to interpret it as a victory.
In 451 AD, Roman general Flavius Aetius confronted Attila the Hun at Châlons-sur-Marne. Though fiercely fought, Attila’s retreat was celebrated as a Roman victory.
First Battle of Uji, starting the Genpei War in Japan.
The First Battle of Uji in 1180 marked the opening clash of the Genpei War between the Taira and Minamoto clans in Japan.
The Treaty of Anagni, an attempt mediated by the papacy to end the War of the Sicilian Vespers, is signed by the crown of Aragon, the kingdom of France and kingdom of Naples.
In 1295, the Treaty of Anagni, brokered by Pope Boniface VIII, sought to conclude the War of the Sicilian Vespers by reconciling Aragon, France, and Naples.
The Battle of Höchst takes place during the Thirty Years' War.
The Battle of Höchst on June 20, 1622, saw Imperial forces clash with Protestant armies during the Thirty Years' War.
The Sack of Baltimore: The Irish village of Baltimore is attacked by Barbary slave traders.
In 1631, Barbary corsairs raided the small Irish village of Baltimore, capturing over 100 residents and selling them into slavery.
Tarhoncu Ahmed Pasha is appointed Grand Vizier of the Ottoman Empire.
In 1652, Tarhoncu Ahmed Pasha was appointed Grand Vizier, becoming the chief minister of the Ottoman Empire.
Monmouth Rebellion: James Scott, 1st Duke of Monmouth declares himself King of England at Bridgwater.
On June 20, 1685, James Scott, 1st Duke of Monmouth proclaimed himself King of England at Bridgwater, launching the Monmouth Rebellion against James II.
A British garrison is imprisoned in the Black Hole of Calcutta.
In June 1756, the Black Hole of Calcutta incident saw a British garrison confined overnight in a small prison chamber, leading to numerous deaths from suffocation.
The U.S. Congress adopts the Great Seal of the United States.
In 1782, the U.S. Congress officially adopted the Great Seal of the United States, symbolizing national identity and authority.
Births
Ali az-Zahir
Ali az-Zahir was the tenth Fatimid caliph of Egypt, ruling from 1021 until his death in 1036.
John of Lancaster
John of Lancaster was an English prince, Duke of Bedford, and regent of France during the Hundred Years' War.
Gian Galeazzo Sforza
Gian Galeazzo Sforza was the Duke of Milan in the late 15th century, though real power rested with his uncle Ludovico 'Il Moro'.
Sigismund III Vasa
Sigismund III Vasa was the monarch of Poland and Sweden at the turn of the 17th century, known for his contested rule and religious policies.
Jacob De la Gardie
Jacob De la Gardie was a Swedish nobleman, military commander, and statesman who served as Lord High Constable in the early 17th century.
Charles Emmanuel II
Charles Emmanuel II was Duke of Savoy in the mid-17th century, overseeing administrative reforms and cultural patronage in Turin.
(O.S.) George Hickes
George Hickes was an English clergyman and scholar, renowned for his pioneering work on Old English and Old Norse languages.
(O.S.) John George III
John George III was Elector of Saxony from 1680 to 1691, noted for military and architectural developments in his duchy.
Jacques Saly
Jacques Saly was a French sculptor and painter of the Neoclassical period, known for his elegant royal commissions.
Deaths
Emperor of the Northern Wei dynasty in 5th-century China who presided over a period of cultural integration and political consolidation.
Louis the Pious
The Carolingian emperor who ruled the Frankish Empire and strove to maintain unity after the death of his father, Charlemagne.
Hucbald
A Frankish Benedictine monk and pioneering music theorist whose writings influenced medieval chant notation.
Adalbert
The first archbishop of Magdeburg, pivotal in missionary work converting Slavic tribes to Christianity in the 10th century.
Mikhail of Vladimir
A 12th-century Russian prince who governed the influential principality of Vladimir during a time of dynastic rivalry.
Margareta Ebner
A German Dominican nun and mystic celebrated for her visionary writings and correspondence with fellow mystics.
Willem Barentsz
A Dutch navigator and cartographer who led pioneering voyages into the Arctic in search of the Northeast Passage.
Tsar of Russia for a brief period in 1605, whose reign was cut short during the Time of Troubles.
Heinrich Roth
A German Jesuit missionary and one of the first European scholars of Sanskrit and Indian culture.