70day.year
Siege of Jerusalem: Titus, son of emperor Vespasian, storms the Fortress of Antonia north of the Temple Mount. The Roman army is drawn into street fights with the Zealots.
In 70 AD, Titus, son of Emperor Vespasian, led Roman legions to storm the Fortress of Antonia during the Siege of Jerusalem, sparking fierce street battles with Zealot defenders.
In 70 AD, Roman legions under Titus laid siege to Jerusalem during the First Jewish–Roman War. The Fortress of Antonia, a strategic stronghold north of the Temple Mount, became the focus of the assault. Titus led the storming parties through heavily fortified gates, facing determined resistance from Zealot fighters. Street-by-street combat ensued, with Romans using siege engines and close-quarters tactics to overcome defenders. The capture of the fortress undermined the city's defenses and paved the way for the eventual fall of Jerusalem. This brutal engagement highlighted the Roman army's discipline and siegecraft against a fanatical home defense. The event marked a turning point in the war, foreshadowing the destruction of the Second Temple.
70
Siege of Jerusalem
Titus
Vespasian
Fortress of Antonia
Temple Mount
Roman army
Zealots
792day.year
Kardam of Bulgaria defeats Byzantine Emperor Constantine VI at the Battle of Marcellae.
In 792, Khan Kardam of Bulgaria defeated Byzantine Emperor Constantine VI at the Battle of Marcellae, halting Byzantine territorial ambitions in the Balkans.
In 792, the forces of the Bulgarian Khan Kardam clashed with the Byzantine army led by Emperor Constantine VI at Marcellae. The battle took place near the modern border region of Bulgaria and Greece, a key frontier zone. Khan Kardam's well-disciplined cavalry and infantry repelled Byzantine attacks, securing a decisive victory. The defeat weakened Constantine VI's position and ended Byzantine efforts to recover lost territories in the Balkans. Treaty negotiations followed, acknowledging Bulgarian autonomy and influence in the region. The battle solidified the Bulgarian Empire's status as a major power and set the stage for future conflicts. Marcellae became a symbol of Bulgarian resilience against Byzantine domination.
792
Kardam of Bulgaria
Byzantine Emperor
Constantine VI
Battle of Marcellae
911day.year
Rollo lays siege to Chartres.
In 911, Viking leader Rollo laid siege to the Frankish city of Chartres, marking a pivotal moment in Norse incursions into western Europe.
In July 911, Rollo, a Norse warlord, besieged the Carolingian city of Chartres on the Seine River. The siege tested both Viking raiding skills and the defensive strength of Frankish fortifications. Charles the Simple negotiated to buy off the attackers while secretly strengthening the city's defenses. The siege ended inconclusively but led to the Treaty of Saint-Clair-sur-Epte in October 911. Under the treaty, Rollo was granted lands that became Normandy, and he pledged loyalty to the king. This event marked the beginning of the Viking settlement that shaped the future duchy of Normandy. Chartres remained an important religious and strategic center in medieval France.
911
Rollo
lays siege to Chartres
1398day.year
The Battle of Kellistown was fought on this day between the forces of the English led by Roger Mortimer, 4th Earl of March against the O'Byrnes and O'Tooles under the command of Art Óg mac Murchadha Caomhánach, the most powerful Chieftain in Leinster.
On July 20, 1398, English forces under Roger Mortimer clashed with Irish clans led by Art Óg mac Murchadha Caomhánach at the Battle of Kellistown.
In 1398, Roger Mortimer, 4th Earl of March, led English troops against Irish clans at Kellistown in Leinster. The O'Byrnes and O'Tooles, led by Art Óg mac Murchadha Caomhánach, were powerful Gaelic chieftains resisting English expansion. The clash reflected ongoing tensions between Anglo-Norman settlers and native Irish lords. English archers and infantry engaged in fierce skirmishes across the rolling countryside. Although detailed accounts are sparse, the engagement demonstrated the volatility of medieval Irish politics. The battle impacted the balance of power in southeastern Ireland, with Mortimer asserting authority. Kellistown remains a lesser-known but telling example of Anglo-Irish conflict in the Late Middle Ages.
1398
English
Roger Mortimer, 4th Earl of March
Art Óg mac Murchadha Caomhánach
1402day.year
Ottoman-Timurid Wars: Battle of Ankara: Timur, ruler of Timurid Empire, defeats forces of the Ottoman Empire sultan Bayezid I.
In 1402, Timur's Timurid forces decisively defeated Ottoman Sultan Bayezid I at the Battle of Ankara, reshaping power dynamics in Anatolia.
On July 20, 1402, Timur (Tamerlane) led his Timurid army against Ottoman Sultan Bayezid I near Ankara. The battle was one of the largest military engagements of the late medieval period. Timur's forces used superior tactics, including mobile cavalry and feigned retreats, to outmaneuver the Ottomans. Bayezid I was captured, plunging the Ottoman Empire into a civil war known as the Interregnum. The defeat halted Ottoman expansion into Asia and gave Timur a temporary hold over Anatolia. The aftermath shifted the balance of power in the Near East and influenced future Ottoman reforms. Ankara became a pivotal moment in both empires' histories, marking the rise and fall of key rulers.
1402
Battle of Ankara
Timur
Timurid Empire
Ottoman Empire
Bayezid I
1592day.year
During the first Japanese invasion of Korea, Japanese forces led by Toyotomi Hideyoshi captured Pyongyang, although they were ultimately unable to hold it.
In 1592, during the first Japanese invasion of Korea, Toyotomi Hideyoshi's forces captured Pyongyang but soon faced fierce counterattacks.
On July 20, 1592, Japanese armies under Toyotomi Hideyoshi seized Pyongyang during the Imjin War. The rapid advance showcased Japan's military organization and use of arquebusiers. Korean defenders, caught off guard, withdrew northward to regroup with Ming Chinese allies. The occupation of Pyongyang was short-lived due to logistical challenges and counterattacks. Ming forces soon arrived to reinforce Korean positions and retake the city. The event demonstrated the volatility of frontier warfare in East Asia during the late 16th century. Pyongyang's capture and subsequent loss underscored Hideyoshi's ambitions and the resilience of Korean-Ming cooperation.
1592
first Japanese invasion of Korea
Toyotomi Hideyoshi
Pyongyang
1715day.year
Seventh Ottoman–Venetian War: The Ottoman Empire captures Nauplia, the capital of the Republic of Venice's "Kingdom of the Morea", thereby opening the way to the swift Ottoman reconquest of the Morea.
On July 20, 1715, during the Seventh Ottoman–Venetian War, Ottoman forces captured Nauplia, triggering the reconquest of the Morea peninsula.
In 1715, the Ottoman Empire launched a campaign to retake the Morea peninsula from Venice. On July 20, Ottoman troops laid siege to and captured Nauplia, the Venetian capital in the region. The fall of Nauplia marked the collapse of Venetian defenses in the Morea. Ottoman control of the city allowed for a swift reconquest of the entire peninsula. The defeat weakened Venice's Mediterranean influence and shifted the balance of power. Ottoman administration in the Morea was reinstated, impacting local trade and governance. This victory highlighted the revival of Ottoman military capability in the early 18th century.
1715
Seventh Ottoman–Venetian War
Ottoman Empire
captures
Nauplia
Republic of Venice
Kingdom of the Morea
Ottoman reconquest of the Morea
1864day.year
American Civil War: Battle of Peachtree Creek: Near Atlanta, Georgia, Confederate forces led by General John Bell Hood unsuccessfully attack Union troops under General William T. Sherman.
During Sherman’s Atlanta Campaign in 1864, Confederate forces under General John Bell Hood attacked Union troops at Peachtree Creek but failed to break their lines.
On July 20, 1864, Confederate General John Bell Hood launched an assault against Major General William T. Sherman’s advancing army.
The battle took place north of Atlanta, aiming to halt Union forces before they could encircle the city.
Union troops repelled repeated Confederate attacks, inflicting heavy casualties.
Despite Hood’s aggressive tactics, the defense at Peachtree Creek strengthened Sherman’s position.
This defeat contributed to the eventual fall of Atlanta and boosted Northern morale.
The battle highlighted the shifting momentum in the American Civil War’s Western Theater.
1864
Battle of Peachtree Creek
Atlanta, Georgia
Confederate
John Bell Hood
Union
troops
William T. Sherman
1866day.year
Austro-Prussian War: Battle of Lissa: The Austrian Navy, led by Admiral Wilhelm von Tegetthoff, defeats the Italian Navy near the island of Vis in the Adriatic Sea.
Austrian Admiral Wilhelm von Tegetthoff led his fleet to victory over the Italian Navy at the Battle of Lissa on July 20, 1866.
The naval clash occurred near the island of Vis in the Adriatic Sea during the Third Italian War of Independence.
Admiral Tegetthoff employed innovative ramming tactics against the Italian ironclad fleet.
Despite being outnumbered, the Austrian navy sank or captured several Italian warships.
This battle was one of the first major sea engagements between ironclad vessels.
The victory bolstered Austrian morale and secured control of the Adriatic.
The Battle of Lissa influenced naval strategy and ship design in the late 19th century.
1866
Austro-Prussian War
Battle of Lissa
Austrian Navy
Wilhelm von Tegetthoff
Italian Navy
Vis
Adriatic Sea
1920day.year
The Greek Army takes control of Silivri after Greece is awarded the city by the Paris Peace Conference; by 1923 Greece effectively lost control to the Turks.
On July 20, 1920, Greek forces occupied the strategic town of Silivri following territorial awards from the Paris Peace Conference, though it would revert to Turkish control in 1923.
Under the terms decided by the Paris Peace Conference, Greece was granted control of Silivri, a key town west of Constantinople.
On July 20, 1920, elements of the Greek Army took formal possession of the city, solidifying Allied decisions.
However, the local Turkish resistance mounted significant opposition, leading to renewed military clashes.
By 1923, as the Greco-Turkish War concluded, Greek forces withdrew and Silivri returned to Turkish sovereignty.
The brief occupation highlighted the volatile postwar border settlements and the complexities of reshaping the Ottoman Empire's former territories.
1920
Silivri
Greece
Paris Peace Conference
1944day.year
World War II: Adolf Hitler survives an assassination attempt led by German Army Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg.
Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg’s bomb at Hitler’s Wolf’s Lair nearly killed the Führer on July 20, 1944.
During World War II, German Army officer Claus von Stauffenberg planted a bomb at Adolf Hitler’s Eastern Front headquarters, the Wolf’s Lair, on July 20, 1944. Stauffenberg and other conspirators aimed to assassinate Hitler and initiate Operation Valkyrie to seize control of the government. The explosion rocked the meeting room but failed to kill Hitler, who survived with minor injuries thanks to a fortified table. In the hours that followed, the conspirators attempted to mobilize troops in Berlin. However, news of Hitler’s survival quelled their efforts and led to rapid countermeasures by the Nazi regime. The plot’s failure triggered a brutal crackdown, resulting in the execution of thousands of suspects. July 20 became one of the most famous assassination attempts against Hitler, symbolizing resistance within Germany.
1944
World War II
Adolf Hitler
an assassination attempt
Claus von Stauffenberg
1949day.year
The Israel–Syria Mixed Armistice Commission brokers the last of four ceasefire agreements to end the 1948 Arab–Israeli War.
Israel and Syria signed their final ceasefire agreement, ending hostilities of the 1948 Arab–Israeli War on July 20, 1949.
On July 20, 1949, the Israel–Syria Mixed Armistice Commission brokered the fourth and final armistice agreement between Israel and Syria. This accord officially halted the last major fighting of the 1948 Arab–Israeli War. Negotiations took place under the supervision of United Nations mediators. The agreement established demilitarized zones and defined provisional borders, known today as the Green Line. Although full peace was not achieved, the armistice brought a fragile stability to the region. It facilitated the exchange of prisoners and the return of civilians to their homes. The Syrian front remained tense, but large-scale combat operations ceased. The accords shaped the Middle East’s post-war landscape and set precedents for future negotiations.
1949
Israel–Syria Mixed Armistice Commission
1948 Arab–Israeli War