1523: Gustav Vasa is elected King of Sweden, marking the end of the Kalmar Union

1716: French transport the first African slaves to Louisiana

1916: The death of Yuan Shikai, ruler of much of China since 1912, causes central government to virtually collapse in the face of pressure from warlords, and from political reformers including Sun Yat-Sen

1944: Operation Overlord: D-Day begins as the 156,000-strong Allied Expeditionary Force lands in Normandy, France, during World War II

1982: 30,000 Israeli troops invade Lebanon to drive out the PLO

Source: Onthisday.com