August 20th in History

1000 - The foundation of the Hungarian state by Saint Stephen. Today celebrated as a National Day in Hungary.

1083 - Canonization of the first King of Hungary, Saint Stephen and his son Saint Emeric.

1775 - The Spanish establish the Presidio San Augustin del Tucson in the town that became Tucson, Arizona.

1866 - President Andrew Johnson formally declares the American Civil War over.

1914 - World War I: German forces occupy Brussels.

1944 - World War II: the Battle of Romania begins with a major Soviet offensive.

1960 - Senegal breaks from the Mali Federation, declaring its independence.

1988 - Iran–Iraq War: a cease-fire is agreed after almost eight years of war.

1991 - Dissolution of the Soviet Union, August Coup: more than 100,000 people rally outside the Soviet Union's parliament building protesting the coup aiming to depose President Mikhail Gorbachev.

Famous Birthdays:

1561 - Jacopo Peri, composer

1833 - Benjamin Harrison, 23rd President of the United States 

1845 - St. Albert Chmielowski, Catholic Saint

1901 - Salvatore Quasimodo, writer, Nobel Prize laureate 

1941 - Slobodan Milošević, President of Serbia and of Yugoslavia 

1944 - Rajiv Gandhi, Prime Minister of India

1949 - Phil Lynott, musician

1983 - Andrew Garfield, actor

1992 - Demi Lovato, actress and singer