On This Day in History – October 20

Major Events

• 1097 – The First Crusade: Crusaders began the siege of Antioch.
• 1572 – Maximilian II was crowned Holy Roman Emperor.
• 1740 – Maria Theresa became ruler of Austria, Hungary, and Bohemia.
• 1803 – The U.S. Senate ratified the Louisiana Purchase.
• 1944 – General Douglas MacArthur returned to the Philippines during World War II.
• 1968 – Former First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy married Greek shipping magnate Aristotle Onassis.
• 1973 – The “Saturday Night Massacre” occurred during the Watergate scandal.
• 2011 – Muammar Gaddafi was captured and killed in Libya.

Famous Birthdays

• Arthur Rimbaud (1854–1891) – French poet.
• Bela Lugosi (1882–1956) – Hungarian-American actor, famous for playing Dracula.
• Grandpa Jones (1913–1998) – American country music singer.
• Joyce Brothers (1927–2013) – American psychologist and television personality.
• Tom Petty (1950–2017) – American singer-songwriter.
• Viggo Mortensen (born 1958) – American actor.
• Kamala Harris (born 1964) – U.S. Vice President.
• Snoop Dogg (born 1971) – American rapper and actor.

Notable Deaths

• Herbert Hoover (1874–1964) – 31st President of the United States.
• Paul Dirac (1902–1984) – English physicist, Nobel laureate.
• Jane Wyatt (1910–2006) – American actress.

Holidays

• Mashujaa Day (Kenya) – Heroes’ Day honoring national heroes.
• Vietnamese Women’s Day (Vietnam)

Fun Facts

• Bela Lugosi was buried in his Dracula cape.
• Gaddafi’s death ended over 40 years of rule in Libya.
• Kamala Harris shares her birthday with Snoop Dogg.