- 1472 20 Feb Scotland claims the Orkney and Shetland islands after the king of Norway defaults on a dowry payment.
- 1947 20 Feb Former British military commander Lord Louis Mountbatten is appointed the last viceroy of India.
- 1986 20 Feb The world's biggest space station to date, 'Mir', is launched by the Soviet Union.
World War One Centenary
- Find out more about how the BBC is covering the World War One Centenary, and see the latest programmes and online content
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