Discover the Historical Events and Famous People Born on July 20

By Sunny Sonkar
July 20, 2025
Last Updated: July 19, 2025

History and Event, Latest, Special Event

July 20 is a day full of important events in history. Many things happened on this day that changed the world. Also, some very famous people were born on July 20. In this article, we’ll learn about five big events that happened on July 20 and five important people who were born on this day. We’ll see how one day can be connected to so many different parts of history.

You can open Table of Contents show

Historical Events on July 20

Fall of Stirling Castle (1304)

In 1304, something big happened in Scotland. It was during a time called the Wars of Scottish Independence. Scotland was fighting to be free from England’s control. Stirling Castle was the last place in Scotland that was still fighting against the English.

King Edward I of England led his army to Stirling Castle. The castle was very strong and hard to attack. But King Edward I had a big army and strong weapons. After a long fight, the castle fell to the English on July 20, 1304.

This was a very important event. It meant that England had won the war for now. Scotland lost its freedom for a while. But the fight wasn’t over. The Scottish people would keep trying to be free in the years to come.

Battle of Ankara (1402)

On July 20, 1402, a big battle happened in Ankara. This is now the capital of Turkey. The battle was between two powerful leaders: Timur (also called Tamerlane) and the Ottoman Sultan Bayezid I.

Timur’s army was very special. It had elephants wearing armor! This was something new and scary for the Ottoman army. The battle was long and hard. In the end, Timur’s army won. They even caught Sultan Bayezid I.

This battle changed a lot of things. The Ottoman Empire, which was very strong, suddenly became weak. There was no clear leader. This time of confusion lasted for many years. It changed the history of the whole area.

Governor of Friesland (1498)

On July 20, 1498, the Holy Roman Emperor Maximilian I made an important decision. He named Albert III, the Duke of Saxony, as the Governor of Friesland. Friesland is an area that is now part of the Netherlands.

This decision was part of how the Holy Roman Empire controlled its lands. Albert III was a powerful duke. By making him governor, Maximilian I was trying to keep control over Friesland. This shows how rulers in those times managed their big empires.

World’s Oldest Treaty (1654)

On July 20, 1654, England and Portugal made their friendship stronger. They signed a new treaty. This treaty is special because it’s one of the oldest agreements between countries that still works today.

In this treaty, England promised to protect Portugal. In return, Portugal gave England some benefits for trade. This helped both countries. England got more business chances. Portugal got a strong friend to help keep it safe.

This treaty shows how countries have been making deals for a long time. It also shows how important trade and protection were in those times.

First East-West Crossing of North America (1793)

On July 20, 1793, a Scottish explorer named Alexander Mackenzie did something amazing. He finished the first trip across North America from east to west by a European. This was north of Mexico.

Mackenzie’s trip was very hard. He had to cross mountains, forests, and rivers. He faced many dangers. But he kept going. When he finished, he had crossed land that no European had seen before.

This trip was very important. It helped people understand how big North America was. It also opened the way for more exploration. Mackenzie’s journey changed how people thought about the American continent.

Famous Birthdays on July 20

Alexander the Great (356 BC)

Alexander the Great was born on July 20, 356 BC. He was a king of Macedonia, which is now part of Greece. Alexander became one of the most famous leaders in history.

Short Biography:

Born: July 20, 356 BC in Pella, Macedonia
Died: June 10, 323 BC in Babylon
Known for: Creating one of the largest empires in ancient history
Major achievement: Conquered lands from Greece to India

Alexander was taught by a famous thinker named Aristotle when he was young. He became king at age 20. Then he started conquering lands. He never lost a battle. Alexander’s empire was very big. It spread Greek culture to many places. Even after he died young, his actions changed the world for a long time.

Mahmud II (1785)

Mahmud II was born on July 20, 1785. He became the Sultan of the Ottoman Empire. This was a big empire that included parts of Europe, Asia, and Africa.

Short Biography:

Born: July 20, 1785 in Istanbul, Ottoman Empire
Died: July 1, 1839 in Istanbul, Ottoman Empire
Known for: Making big changes in the Ottoman Empire
Major achievement: Started modernizing the Ottoman army and government

Mahmud II became Sultan in 1808. He made many changes to make his empire more modern. He changed the army to be more like European armies. He also changed how the government worked. These changes helped the Ottoman Empire last longer, but also caused some problems.

Gregor Mendel (1822)

Gregor Mendel was born on July 20, 1822. He was a scientist who studied how traits are passed from parents to children.

Short Biography:

Born: July 20, 1822 in Heinzendorf, Austrian Empire (now Czech Republic)
Died: January 6, 1884 in Brno, Austria-Hungary (now Czech Republic)
Known for: Discovering the basic rules of heredity
Major achievement: His work became the foundation of modern genetics

Mendel was a monk who loved science. He did experiments with pea plants. From these experiments, he figured out how traits like color and shape are passed down to baby plants. People didn’t understand how important his work was until after he died. Now, we call him the “father of genetics.”

Mad Dog Coll (1908)

Vincent “Mad Dog” Coll was born on July 20, 1908. He was a criminal in New York City during a time called Prohibition.

Short Biography:

Born: July 20, 1908 in Gweedore, Ireland
Died: February 8, 1932 in New York City, USA
Known for: Being a violent criminal in New York City
Major event: Involved in the accidental killing of a child during a gang shooting

Coll came to America when he was a baby. He got into crime when he was young. He became known for being very violent. He got his nickname “Mad Dog” because of this. Coll was killed when he was only 23 years old. His short life shows how dangerous the criminal world was in those times.

Edmund Hillary (1919)

Edmund Hillary was born on July 20, 1919. He became famous for being the first person to climb to the top of Mount Everest, the highest mountain in the world.

Short Biography:

Born: July 20, 1919 in Auckland, New Zealand
Died: January 11, 2008 in Auckland, New Zealand
Known for: Being the first to reach the summit of Mount Everest
Major achievement: Climbed Mount Everest with Tenzing Norgay on May 29, 1953

Hillary loved climbing mountains. He joined a team to climb Mount Everest. On May 29, 1953, he and Tenzing Norgay reached the top. This made them world-famous. After this, Hillary did more exploring. He also helped build schools and hospitals in Nepal, the country where Mount Everest is.

Takeaway

July 20 is a day with many important events in history. From big battles to brave explorers, a lot has happened on this day. It’s also the birthday of some very famous people. These people changed the world in different ways. Some led armies, some made scientific discoveries, and some climbed the highest mountains.

Learning about these events and people shows us how much can happen on just one day. It also shows how people from different times and places can all be important to history. By looking at one day like this, we can see how rich and interesting history is.