On This Day: November 20

Diocletian is chosen as Roman emperor.

During the An Shi Rebellion, the Tang dynasty, with the help of Huihe tribe, recaptures Luoyang from the rebels.

Palermo is conquered by Henry VI, Holy Roman Emperor.

A truce between John the Fearless, Duke of Burgundy and Louis of Valois, Duke of Orléans is agreed upon under the auspices of John, Duke of Berry. Orléans would be assassinated three days later by Burgundy.

Zumbi, the last of the leaders of Quilombo dos Palmares in early Brazil, is executed by the forces of Portuguese bandeirante Domingos Jorge Velho.

Start of the Battle of Porto Bello between British and Spanish forces during the War of Jenkins' Ear.

American Revolutionary War: British forces land at the Palisades and then attack Fort Lee. The Continental Army starts to retreat across New Jersey.

New Jersey becomes the first U.S. state to ratify the Bill of Rights.

Beethoven's only opera, Fidelio, premieres in Vienna.

An 80-ton sperm whale attacks the Essex (a whaling ship from Nantucket, Massachusetts) 2,000 miles from the western coast of South America. (Herman Melville's 1851 novel Moby-Dick is in part inspired by this story.)