1571: Battle of Lepanto: Holy League of southern European nations formed by Pope Pius V destroy an Ottoman fleet in a significant loss off Western Greece

1737: A cyclone causes 40 foot waves that are believed to have killed 300,000 in Calcutta, India

1763: George III of Great Britain issues Proclamation of 1763, closing lands in North America north and west of Alleghenies to white settlement

1919: KLM, Royal Dutch Airlines, established (oldest existing airline)

2001: U.S. invasion of Afghanistan starts with an air assault and covert operations on the ground

Source: Onthisday.com