1189day.year
Richard I of England officially invested as Duke of Normandy.
On July 20, 1189, Richard I of England was formally invested as Duke of Normandy, strengthening his control over this key French duchy.
In 1189, Richard the Lionheart, then Duke of Aquitaine, formally assumed the title Duke of Normandy. This investiture took place after the death of his father, Henry II, strengthening Richard's continental holdings. Normandy was a key duchy linking England to the rich lands of northern France. The ceremony underscored Richard's reputation as a warrior prince and his authority over Normandy's nobility. His rule in Normandy helped finance his later crusading efforts through taxes and feudal dues. The investiture reinforced the Angevin Empire's territorial coherence under Richard's leadership. Normandy remained under English control until the early 13th century when Philip II of France challenged it.
1189
Richard I of England
Duke of Normandy
1230day.year
Treaty of San Germano is signed at San Germano between Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II and Pope Gregory IX. A Dominican named Guala is responsible for the negotiations.
In 1230, Emperor Frederick II and Pope Gregory IX signed the Treaty of San Germano, mediated by Dominican friar Guala, to resolve their conflicts.
On July 20, 1230, Emperor Frederick II and Pope Gregory IX concluded the Treaty of San Germano at the Abbey of Monte Cassino. The treaty ended a period of excommunication and hostilities that had strained imperial-papal relations. Negotiations were led by Dominican friar Guala, acting as papal legate and mediator. Frederick II agreed to uphold church rights and submit to future ecclesiastical decisions, restoring papal favor. Gregory IX recognized Frederick's imperial authority, lifting spiritual sanctions against him. The agreement stabilized central Italian politics and secured peace between secular and religious powers. The treaty showcased the growing role of mendicant orders in high diplomacy during the Middle Ages.
1230
Treaty of San Germano
San Germano
1799day.year
Tekle Giyorgis I begins his first of six reigns as Emperor of Ethiopia.
In 1799, Tekle Giyorgis I ascended the Ethiopian throne for the first of six reigns.
His turbulent rule became emblematic of the Zemene Mesafint, the Era of Princes.
Tekle Giyorgis I was crowned Emperor at the age of 27 amid rival noble factions.
He reigned intermittently over more than a decade, facing constant challenges from regional warlords.
His reigns were characterized by political intrigue and shifting alliances in the Zemene Mesafint (Era of the Princes).
Despite frequent depositions and restorations, he maintained influence over Ethiopia’s church and state.
His leadership set precedents for later emperors and reflected the fragmentation of power in early 19th-century Ethiopia.
His legacy endures in Ethiopian historical narratives of imperial authority and resilience.
1799
Tekle Giyorgis I
Emperor of Ethiopia
1810day.year
Citizens of Bogotá, New Granada declare independence from Spain.
On July 20, 1810, citizens of Bogotá in New Granada declared independence from Spain, igniting the movement that would lead to modern Colombia.
Local leaders in Bogotá formed a municipal council to challenge Spanish colonial authority.
Their declaration on Plaza de Bolívar initiated the decade-long struggle for South American independence.
This act inspired other regions in New Granada to seek self-rule and join the liberation effort.
Figures like Antonio Nariño and Camilo Torres emerged as prominent leaders in subsequent battles.
Although Spain briefly regained control, the momentum eventually led to the creation of Gran Colombia.
The July 20 uprising is celebrated today as Colombia’s Independence Day.
1810
Bogotá
New Granada
1831day.year
Seneca and Shawnee people agree to relinquish their land in western Ohio for 60,000 acres west of the Mississippi River.
In 1831, Seneca and Shawnee leaders ceded their lands in western Ohio, agreeing to relocate to territory west of the Mississippi River.
Facing pressure from the United States government and settlers, Seneca and Shawnee chiefs negotiated a land cession treaty.
They agreed to exchange traditional homelands in Ohio for 60,000 acres on the western frontier.
This relocation was part of broader policies that would culminate in the Indian Removal Act of 1830.
The move had profound effects on indigenous communities, disrupting cultural ties and livelihoods.
It exemplified the US strategy of bargaining for land to facilitate westward expansion.
The treaty set precedents for future negotiations and forced migrations of Native American tribes.
1831
Seneca
Shawnee
Ohio
Mississippi River
1871day.year
British Columbia joins the Canadian Confederation.
British Columbia officially joined the Canadian Confederation as its sixth province on July 20, 1871, expanding Canada to the Pacific coast.
Leaders in British Columbia debated joining Canada to secure railway connections and settle provincial debt.
Negotiations culminated in a resolution to become a Canadian province in exchange for a promise to build the transcontinental railway.
On July 20, 1871, British Columbia entered Confederation, linking the Pacific coast to the rest of the country.
This union opened the region to increased immigration, trade, and infrastructure development.
The promise of the Canadian Pacific Railway fostered national unity and economic growth.
British Columbia’s entry shaped Canada’s identity as a transcontinental nation.
1871
British Columbia
Canadian Confederation
1906day.year
In Finland, a new electoral law is ratified, guaranteeing the country the first and equal right to vote in the world. Finnish women are the first in Europe to receive the right to vote.
On July 20, 1906, Finland ratified a groundbreaking electoral law, becoming the first nation to grant universal suffrage and enabling women to vote.
On July 20, 1906, the Finnish Parliament approved an electoral reform granting equal suffrage to all adult citizens.
This progressive law made Finland the first country in the world to implement full voting rights, including women.
As a result, Finnish women became the first in Europe to cast ballots in parliamentary elections.
The reform replaced the old Diet of Estates with a unicameral parliament elected by proportional representation.
This change laid the foundation for modern Finnish democracy and inspired suffrage movements across Europe.
It demonstrated Finland's commitment to equality and civic participation at a time when most nations excluded women.
The 1906 law remains a milestone in the global history of democratic rights.
1906
Finland
receive the right to vote
1917day.year
World War I: The Corfu Declaration, which leads to the creation of the post-war Kingdom of Yugoslavia, is signed by the Yugoslav Committee and Kingdom of Serbia.
In 1917, representatives signed the Corfu Declaration, paving the way for the establishment of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia after World War I.
On July 20, 1917, the Yugoslav Committee and the Kingdom of Serbia signed the Corfu Declaration on the Greek island of Corfu.
The declaration called for the unification of South Slavic peoples into a single constitutional monarchy.
It proposed a parliamentary system under the Serbian crown, envisioning a united state of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes.
Although it faced opposition from various factions, the agreement was a crucial step toward postwar nation-building.
After the end of World War I, the declaration's principles were realized with the formation of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes in 1918.
The Corfu Declaration thus marked a significant moment in the creation of modern Yugoslavia.
1917
World War I
Corfu Declaration
Kingdom of Yugoslavia
1922day.year
The League of Nations awards mandates of Togoland to France and Tanganyika to the United Kingdom.
On July 20, 1922, the League of Nations officially awarded the mandate for Togoland to France and Tanganyika to the United Kingdom, reshaping colonial oversight in Africa.
Following World War I, former German colonies were placed under League of Nations mandates to be administered by victorious powers.
On July 20, 1922, the League formally granted France the mandate for Togoland and the United Kingdom the mandate for Tanganyika.
These mandates aimed to guide the territories toward development and eventual self-governance under international supervision.
Togoland later evolved into modern Togo and parts of Ghana, while Tanganyika became part of present-day Tanzania.
The distribution reflected shifting colonial dynamics and the League's role in managing former imperial possessions.
1922
League of Nations
Togoland
Tanganyika
1932day.year
In the Preußenschlag, German President Hindenburg places Prussia directly under the rule of the national government.
In 1932, President Hindenburg deposed the Prussian government in the Preußenschlag, placing the powerful German state under direct federal control.
On July 20, 1932, German President Paul von Hindenburg issued an emergency decree, known as the Preußenschlag, to take over the Prussian state government.
Citing alleged unrest and inefficiency, the decree suspended the Prussian constitution and installed Reich commissioners.
This intervention weakened Germany's largest state and shifted power toward the central government of the Weimar Republic.
The move undermined federalism within Germany and paved the way for increased authoritarian control.
Although intended as a temporary measure, the takeover set a precedent for future centralization under the Nazi regime.
The Preußenschlag thus marked a critical erosion of democratic structures in interwar Germany.
1932
Preußenschlag
1936day.year
The Montreux Convention is signed in Switzerland, authorizing Turkey to fortify the Dardanelles and Bosphorus but guaranteeing free passage to ships of all nations in peacetime.
On July 20, 1936, the Montreux Convention was signed, permitting Turkey to reinforce the Dardanelles and Bosphorus and securing open peacetime passage for all naval vessels.
Representatives of Turkey, Britain, France, and other powers signed the Montreux Convention on July 20, 1936, in Montreux, Switzerland.
The agreement recognized Turkey's right to fortify the Dardanelles and Bosphorus straits for its defense.
At the same time, it affirmed the principle of free transit for merchant vessels and, in peace, warships of all nations.
The convention replaced the outdated terms of the Treaty of Lausanne and sought to balance Turkish sovereignty with international navigation rights.
It remains the principal legal framework governing naval passage through the Turkish Straits to this day.
The Montreux Convention played a strategic role in regional security on the eve of World War II.
Its legacy endures in the continued regulation of one of the world's most critical maritime chokepoints.
1936
Montreux Convention
Switzerland
Turkey
Dardanelles
Bosphorus
1940day.year
Denmark leaves the League of Nations.
Denmark formally withdrew from the League of Nations on July 20, 1940, following German occupation earlier that year.
After Nazi Germany invaded Denmark in April 1940, the Danish government faced mounting pressure. On July 20, 1940, Denmark officially resigned its membership in the League of Nations. The move reflected the realities of occupation and limited Danish sovereignty. It marked one of the first departures from the international body established after World War I. The decision underscored the League’s waning influence in preventing aggression. Denmark’s resignation was a symbolic blow to collective security efforts. It foreshadowed further withdrawals by other nations under Axis pressure.
1940
League of Nations