January 20

250 Pope Fabian was martyred on January 20, 250 during a widespread persecution of Christians for refusing to demonstrate loyalty to the Roman Empire. Fabian is venerated as a saint by the Catholic Church and his feast day is commemorated on January 20. For almost 300 years, the office of the pope was almost certainly a death sentence. 28 of the first 31 consecutive popes were martyred.

Saint Fabian by Giovanni di Paolo (c. 1450) wears an anachronistic Papal tiara

1265 The first Parliament in England was summoned by baronial leader Simon de Montfort, then in rebellion against Henry III. It was attended by elected knights of the shires and burgesses plus archbishops, bishops, abbots, earls, and barons between January 20, 1265 until mid-March the same year. The meetings were held in the Palace of Westminster, now also known colloquially as the "Houses of Parliament."

1382 King Richard II married Anne of Bohemia in Westminster Abbey on January 20, 1382. It was the fifth royal wedding in the Abbey and was not followed by any other royal wedding in Westminster Abbey for another 537 years. Tournaments were held for several days after the ceremony, in celebration. Richard and Anne then made a tour of the realm, staying at many major abbeys along the way. Richard II had to pawn the Crown Jewels to pay for the wedding.

Anne and Richard's coronation in the Liber Regalis

1576 The Mexican city of León was founded on January 20, 1576. The city was established by Juan Bautista de Orozco on the orders of Viceroy Martín Enríquez de Almanza, under the name "Villa de León de los Aldamas." The name honors Juan Aldama, a hero of the Mexican War of Independence. It was built as a strategic defensive position against the Chichimeca people, who opposed Spanish rule.

1809 Dutch female kortebaan speed skater Houkje Gerrits Bouma competed at the first known women's speed ice skating race in 1805 at the age of 16. Four years later, she won a women’s skating race in Leeuwarden on January 20, 1809, The crowd watched sixty-four unmarried women vie for a gold cap-brooch, many of whom had thrown off their cloaks for greater ease. The women's bare arms caused a lot of commotion as they were seen as obscene, and women's competitions were not held again until 1823. 

Bouma (right) winning the women's speed race

1831 On January 20, 1831, the European powers agreed to fix the borders of the new country of Belgium, splitting it from Holland. Since the installation of Leopold I six months later, Belgium has been a constitutional monarchy and parliamentary democracy.

1841 The refusal of the Chinese Qing authorities to support opium imports caused the outbreak of the First Opium War between the British Empire and the Qing Empire in 1839. Qing's defeat resulted in the occupation of Hong Kong Island by British forces on January 20, 1841.

1857 Charlotte Payne Townshend, George Bernard Shaw's wife, was born on January 20, 1857. In 1897 Charlotte Payne Townshend, an Anglo-Irish woman of wealth and socialist ideals, proposed that she and Shaw should marry. He had declined but the following year, as a result of overwork, Shaw's health broke down and Charlotte insisted on nursing him in a house in the country, Shaw, concerned that this might cause scandal, agreed to their marriage.

1887 Pearl Harbor is a lagoon harbor on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, west of Honolulu. The United States was granted exclusive rights to enter Pearl Harbor and to maintain a repair and coaling station for ships there on January 20, 1887. Following the overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdom, the United States Navy established a base on the island in 1899 and Pearl Harbor was refitted to allow for more navy ships.

Pearl Harbor on October 30, 1941, looking southwest

1910 During his time as a journalist, Benito Mussolini published a fictional serial melodrama set in 17th century Italy: L'amante del Cardinale (The Cardinal's Mistress). Co-written with Santi Corvaja, it was published as a serial book in the Trento newspaper Il Popolo and released in instalments from January 20 to May 11, 1910. The novel was a success and was made into a successful silent movie.

1921 The first Constitution of Turkey was adopted on January 20, 1921 by the Grand National Assembly of Turkey, following the War of Independence. It made fundamental changes in the source and exercise of sovereignty by consecrating the principle of national sovereignty. The constitution was a major step in the modernization of Turkey and served as the basis for the country's legal system for several decades.

1929 In Old Arizona was released on January 20, 1929. The movie was the first major Western to use the new technology of sound and the first talkie to be filmed outdoors. The film made extensive use of authentic locations, shooting in Bryce Canyon National Park and Zion National Park in Utah and the San Fernando Mission and the Mojave Desert in California.

1930 Apollo 11 astronaut Edwin "Buzz" Eugene Aldrin, Jr. was born on January 20, 1930 in Montclair, New Jersey. His "Buzz”name originated from one of his sisters pronouncing brother as "buzzer," which was later shortened to "Buzz.".Aldrin made it his legal first name in 1988. "Buzz" Aldrin’s mother’s maiden name was “Moon”.

1936 After months of ill health, by January 20, 1936, King George V was close to death. His physicians, led by Lord Dawson of Penn, issued a bulletin with the words: "The King's life is moving peacefully towards its close." Dawson hastened the King's death by injecting him with a lethal combination of morphine and cocaine so that the King's death at 11:55 p.m. could be announced in the morning edition of The Times newspaper rather than "less appropriate ... evening journals."

1936 After King George V of the United Kingdom died on January 20, 1936, his eldest son ascended the throne as King Edward VIII. When his father passed away, Edward flew to London from Sandringham, becoming the first monarch UK to fly in an aircraft.

1937 On January 20, 1937, Franklin D. Roosevelt became the first U.S. president sworn into office in January. The date was moved from March 4th by a constitutional amendment to shorten the lame duck period between the election and the inauguration.

1940 Ronald Reagan first met Jane Wyman while filming Brother Rat in 1938. He asked Wyman to marry him at the Chicago Theatre. They wed at the Wee Kirk o' the Heather church in Glendale, California on January 20, 1940. Reagan and Jane had two children: Michael (adopted) and Maureen Reagan. After arguments about Reagan's political ambitions, Wyman filled for divorce in 1948. The divorce was official the following year. Reagan was the first US president to have been divorced.

1941 A German officer was murdered  by members of the Iron Guard, a Romanian fascist and antisemitic organization. on January 20, 1941 in Bucharest, The Iron Guard blamed the Jews for the murder and it sparked a rebellion and pogrom, which resulted in the killing of around 125 Jews and 30 soldiers in Bucharest. 

1949 President Harry S. Truman's inauguration on January 20, 1949, was the first to be televised. The ceremony was broadcast live on television by the major networks, allowing people across the country to watch the event in real-time. This was a significant moment in the history of television 

1953 When his eight years as President of the United States ended on January 20, 1953, private citizen Harry S.Truman took the train home to Independence, Missouri, mingling with other passengers along the way. He had no secret service protection. After Harry Truman returned to his home in Missouri his only income was his old army pension. It was no more than $112.56 per month or about $982 today.

1954 The coldest temperature ever recorded in the contiguous United States was in Montana. On January 20, 1954, −70 °F or −56.7 °C was measured at a gold mining camp near Rogers Pass. The only colder temperature recorded in the entire United States was in Alaska in 1971.

1961 John F Kennedy was inaugurated as president of the United States on a particularly cold day in Washington DC on January 20, 1961. Despite the frozen weather, he was the first American president to dispense with a hat reflecting the current trend for more casual dress and going about one's business hatless.

1961 When John Kennedy became the president of the United States on January 20, 1961, Jacqueline Kennedy became, at age 31, one of the youngest First Ladies in American history. Jacqueline Kennedy is remembered for her grace, style, and cultural contributions during her time in the White House.

1965 Lyndon Johnson became the first president to ride in a bulletproof limousine at his second inauguration on January 20, 1965. The car was a Lincoln Continental convertible that was specially modified with armor plating to protect the President in the event of an assassination attempt.

1971 Pakistan launched its Nuclear weapons program on January 20, 1972, a few weeks after its defeat in Bangladesh Liberation War and Indo-Pakistani War of 1971. The defeat in that war increased Pakistan's sense of insecurity, especially in relation to India, and is considered a significant factor that led to the acceleration of its nuclear weapons development.

1990 Bill Shoemaker's 8,833rd and last victory  came at Gulfstream Park, Florida on January 20, 1990 aboard Beau Genius. He held the record for most lifetime wins as a jockey in North American history until it was broken by Panamanian-born Laffit Pincay Jr.; the record is currently held by Russell Baze.

1991 A second Sudanese civil war broke out between the country's Muslim north and Christian south in 1983. The situation worsened when on January 20, 1991 Sudan's government imposed Islamic law nationwide. It is estimated that possibly two million people, mainly Christian southerners, died over the 22 year duration of the Second Sudanese Civil War, with up to five million more displaced.

1993 Actress Audrey Hepburn died of appendix cancer at her home in Switzerland on January 20, 1993, at the age of 63. After her death, Gregory Peck went on camera and tearfully recited her favorite poem, "Unending Love" by Rabindranath Tagore.

1997 President Bill Clinton's inaugural ceremony on January 20, 1997, was the first to be broadcast on the Internet. The ceremony was streamed live on the White House website, allowing people around the world to watch the event in real-time. This was a significant moment in the history of the internet and marked the first time that a presidential inauguration was made accessible to a global audience in this way.

2017 Donald Trump was inaugurated as the 45th President of the United States on January 20, 2017. The first billionaire US president, when Donald Trump was elected U.S. president at the age of 70, he surpassed Ronald Reagan's record and became the oldest man to assume the presidency.

2021 When Joe Biden was inaugurated as the U.S. president on January 20, 2021 at the age of 78 and 61 days old, he surpassed his predecessor Donald Trump's record to become the oldest man to assume the presidency.