AD 14day.year
Agrippa Postumus, maternal grandson of the late Roman emperor Augustus, is mysteriously executed by his guards while in exile.
On August 20, AD 14, Agrippa Postumus, grandson of Emperor Augustus, was mysteriously executed during his exile.
Agrippa Postumus was banished by his grandfather Emperor Augustus on suspicion of treason. Exiled away from Rome, he lived a lonely life cut off from power. On this day, his guards strangled him under secret orders with no public trial. His death was concealed for political reasons, leaving few reliable accounts. Ancient historians speculate that the act was meant to secure the succession for Tiberius. The brutal killing underscores the ruthless nature of Roman imperial politics. Even after two millennia, the motives behind his execution remain a subject of scholarly debate.
AD 14
Agrippa Postumus
Roman emperor
Augustus
1308day.year
Pope Clement V pardons Jacques de Molay, the last Grand Master of the Knights Templar, absolving him of charges of heresy.
On August 20, 1308, Pope Clement V officially pardoned Jacques de Molay, the last Grand Master of the Knights Templar, of heresy charges.
Under intense pressure from King Philip IV of France, Pope Clement V reexamined the trial of Jacques de Molay and found the evidence of heresy to be inconclusive. The papal bull of pardon attempted to restore de Molay's reputation even as the Templar order faced dissolution. Despite this act of clemency, many knights remained imprisoned or exiled across Europe. The episode highlighted the complex interplay between secular and ecclesiastical power in medieval Christendom. De Molay's later execution in 1314 would transform him into a martyr figure. The pardon remains a key moment in the downfall of the Knights Templar and the shifting allegiances of the era.
1308
Pope Clement V
Jacques de Molay
Grand Master of the Knights Templar
heresy
1391day.year
Konrad von Wallenrode becomes the 24th Grand Master of the Teutonic Order.
In 1391, Konrad von Wallenrode was elected the 24th Grand Master of the Teutonic Order, leading the military and monastic state in Prussia.
Konrad von Wallenrode assumed leadership of the Teutonic Knights, a German crusading order, on August 20, 1391. His election came after internal disputes over policy and strategy in the Baltic region. As Grand Master, Wallenrode pursued aggressive campaigns against Lithuania and sought to strengthen the order's territorial holdings. He reformed the order's administration and emphasized military discipline. Under his rule, the Teutonic state continued to influence trade routes across the Baltic. Wallenrode's leadership shaped the order's role in late medieval Eastern Europe. His tenure foreshadowed future conflicts with neighboring powers.
1391
Konrad von Wallenrode
Grand Master of the Teutonic Order
1672day.year
Former Grand Pensionary Johan de Witt and his brother Cornelis are lynched by a mob in The Hague.
In 1672, Johan de Witt and his brother Cornelis were brutally lynched by a mob in The Hague during a period of political crisis in the Dutch Republic.
On August 20, 1672, Johan de Witt, the Grand Pensionary of Holland, and his brother Cornelis were attacked by an enraged crowd in The Hague.
The brothers were accused of treason and blamed for the Republic's military failures during the Rampjaar or 'Year of Disaster'.
A mob dragged them from prison, brutally beat them, and murdered them in front of the city hall.
The violent act marked a turning point in Dutch politics and fueled further instability within the Republic.
Their deaths symbolized the collapse of republican leadership and paved the way for William of Orange's rise to power.
The incident remains one of the most shocking episodes of political violence in the Netherlands' history.
1672
Grand Pensionary
Johan de Witt
Cornelis
The Hague
1775day.year
The Spanish establish the Presidio San Augustin del Tucson in the town that became Tucson, Arizona.
The Spanish crown founded Presidio San Augustin del Tucson in 1775, laying the foundations of modern Tucson, Arizona.
On August 20, 1775, Spanish colonial authorities established the Presidio San Augustin del Tucson in present-day Arizona.
The presidio served as a military outpost to protect settlers and missions from Apache raids.
It was part of Spain's efforts to consolidate its territorial claims in the New World.
A small garrison of soldiers and settlers built adobe walls and watchtowers around the fort.
The settlement around the presidio grew into a civilian community, thanks to agriculture and trade.
Over time, Presidio San Augustin del Tucson became the seed of what is now the city of Tucson.
The presidio's legacy remains visible in the city's historic structures and layout.
1775
Presidio San Augustin del Tucson
Tucson, Arizona
1864day.year
Bakumatsu: Kinmon incident: The Chōshū Domain attempts to expel the Satsuma and Aizu Domains from Japan's imperial court.
In the Kinmon incident of 1864, the Chōshū Domain attempted to seize power at Japan's imperial court, escalating tensions during the Bakumatsu period.
On August 20, 1864, troops from the Chōshū Domain marched on Kyoto, seeking to expel rival domains from the imperial court.
This confrontation, known as the Kinmon incident, reflected the volatile political climate of late Tokugawa Japan.
Supporters of the Aizu and Satsuma Domains defended the imperial palace gates against the attackers.
Heavy gunfire and skirmishes erupted in the streets of Kyoto.
The Chōshū forces were eventually repelled by combined domain armies and shogunate troops.
The failed coup intensified divides that would soon lead to the Meiji Restoration.
The Kinmon incident remains a key moment in the downfall of the Tokugawa shogunate.
1864
Bakumatsu
Kinmon incident
Chōshū Domain
Satsuma
Aizu Domains
1866day.year
President Andrew Johnson formally declares the American Civil War over.
President Andrew Johnson formally proclaimed the end of the American Civil War in 1866, symbolizing national reunification after years of conflict.
On August 20, 1866, President Andrew Johnson issued a declaration formally ending the American Civil War.
This proclamation followed the surrender of remaining Confederate forces and the capture of key military leaders.
Johnson's announcement aimed to promote reconciliation and restore civil authority in the South.
The declaration also set the stage for Reconstruction policies to rebuild the nation.
It represented a milestone in the healing of a divided United States after four years of devastating war.
Although sporadic violence persisted, the formal end allowed focus on national recovery and citizenship rights.
Johnson's proclamation is remembered as a symbolic closure to the bloodiest conflict in American history.
1866
President
Andrew Johnson
American Civil War
1905day.year
Sun Yat-sen, Song Jiaoren, and others establish the Tongmenghui, a Republican, anti-Qing revolutionary organisation, in Tokyo, Japan.
Sun Yat-sen, Song Jiaoren, and other revolutionaries founded the Tongmenghui in Tokyo on August 20, 1905, uniting anti-Qing forces under a republican agenda.
On August 20, 1905, Sun Yat-sen, Song Jiaoren, and other Chinese exiles convened in Tokyo to create the Tongmenghui. The organization sought to overthrow the Qing dynasty and establish a republic in China. It united various anti-Qing groups under a single leadership and provided a coordinated revolutionary strategy. Song Jiaoren emerged as a key political organizer, while Sun Yat-sen provided ideological guidance and international connections. Though operating in exile, the Tongmenghui funded and planned uprisings that culminated in the 1911 Revolution. Its establishment laid the foundation for the eventual founding of the Republic of China.
1905
Sun Yat-sen
Song Jiaoren
Tongmenghui
Republican
anti-Qing
Tokyo
Japan
1940day.year
In Mexico City, exiled Russian revolutionary Leon Trotsky is fatally wounded with an ice axe by Ramón Mercader. He dies the next day.
In Mexico City on August 20, 1940, exiled Russian revolutionary Leon Trotsky is attacked with an ice axe by Ramón Mercader, dying of his wounds the following day.
Leon Trotsky, living in exile in Mexico City, was fatally wounded when Spanish agent Ramón Mercader struck him in the head with an ice axe on August 20, 1940. Trotsky was a leading figure in the Russian Revolution and a vocal critic of Joseph Stalin’s regime. Mercader gained access to Trotsky’s household by posing as a trusted supporter, delivering the deadly blow in Trotsky’s study. Trotsky was rushed to a nearby hospital but succumbed to his injuries the next day. The assassination eliminated one of Stalin’s most persistent adversaries and sent shockwaves through communist movements worldwide. Trotsky’s death marked the definitive triumph of Stalin’s power and deepened divisions within the international left.
1940
Leon Trotsky
Ramón Mercader
1940day.year
World War II: British Prime Minister Winston Churchill makes the fourth of his famous wartime speeches, containing the line "Never was so much owed by so many to so few".
British Prime Minister Winston Churchill delivers his celebrated 'Never was so much owed by so many to so few' speech to the House of Commons on August 20, 1940.
Amid the Battle of Britain, Winston Churchill addressed Parliament to honor the Royal Air Force pilots defending the UK from German air assaults. He famously told MPs that 'Never was so much owed by so many to so few', capturing the nation’s gratitude and resolve during its darkest hour. Delivered on August 20, 1940, the speech bolstered civilian morale and reinforced Churchill’s reputation for stirring oratory. He praised the courage of the RAF while reminding the public of the ongoing threat posed by the Luftwaffe. The address became emblematic of British resilience and contributed to the 'finest hour' narrative that defined Churchill’s wartime leadership. It remains one of the most quoted lines in military history and a symbol of collective sacrifice.
World War II
British Prime Minister
Winston Churchill
Never was so much owed by so many to so few
1948day.year
Soviet Consul General in New York, Jacob M. Lomakin is expelled by the United States, due to the Kasenkina Case.
Soviet Consul General Jacob M. Lomakin is expelled from New York following the Kasenkina Case, heightening Cold War tensions.
On August 20, 1948, the United States expelled Soviet Consul General Jacob M. Lomakin from New York over the controversial Kasenkina Case.
The dispute arose when Soviet teacher Oksana Kasenkina sought refuge at the U.S. consulate amid allegations of defection.
Soviet authorities accused American officials of kidnapping and coercion, fueling propaganda on both sides.
The diplomatic row intensified existing Cold War hostilities and led to reciprocal expulsions of diplomats.
This incident underscored the era’s fraught atmosphere and mistrust between the superpowers.
1948
New York
Jacob M. Lomakin
United States
Kasenkina Case
1949day.year
Hungary adopts the Hungarian Constitution of 1949 and becomes a People's Republic.
Hungary adopts its 1949 constitution and officially proclaims itself a People’s Republic, cementing Communist rule.
On August 20, 1949, Hungary ratified a new Stalinist constitution, transforming itself into the Hungarian People’s Republic.
The document centralized power under the Hungarian Working People’s Party and mirrored Soviet governance structures.
Private property was curtailed, and the state assumed control of industry, agriculture, and social services.
This legal shift formalized the Communist regime inaugurated after World War II and suppressed political dissent.
August 20th, also Hungary’s national holiday, became a symbol of both socialist achievements and imposed ideological conformity.
1949
Hungary
Hungarian Constitution of 1949
People's Republic