13 events the sources record for this year, grouped by region.
What happened
China (8)
Emperor Ling died in the Jiade Hall of the Southern Palace, and his son Bian ascended the throne (aged 17). (Book of the Later Han (Hou Hanshu), Annals 後漢書卷8 孝靈帝紀 中平6年)
The eunuchs Zhang Rang and Duan Gui killed Grand General He Jin; Yuan Shu burned the East and West palaces and attacked the eunuchs. (Book of the Later Han (Hou Hanshu), Annals 後漢書卷8 孝靈帝紀 中平6年)
Zhang Rang and Duan Gui fled to the Xiaoping Ford with Emperor Shao and the Prince of Chenliu; Lu Zhi pursued them, and the rest threw themselves into the river. (Book of the Later Han (Hou Hanshu), Annals 後漢書卷8 孝靈帝紀 中平6年)
In the sixth year of Zhongping, he raised the first volunteer army at Jiwu in Chenliu to campaign against Dong Zhuo. (Records of the Three Kingdoms (Sanguozhi) 魏書 武帝紀 (卷01) 中平6년)
On the eighth month, day wuchen, He Jin entered the Changle Palace and asked the Empress Dowager to execute the eunuchs. Zhang Yang and Duan Gui overheard and, with dozens of men armed, entered secretly by a side gate and lay in ambush. (Zizhi Tongjian (Comprehensive Mirror) 資治通鑑 卷059 (원문 단락 #4859, 189년))
On the ninth month, day guiyou, Dong Zhuo gathered all the officials and said that the emperor was incompetent, and that he would set up the King of Chenliu, threatening to suppress any objection. The high ministers, in fear, could not answer. (Zizhi Tongjian (Comprehensive Mirror) 資治通鑑 卷059 (원문 단락 #4865, 189년))
Plague in Rome: on some days 2,000 died, and criminals spread infection with poisoned needles throughout the empire (Cassius Dio, Roman History 73(72).14.3)
A plague strikes Rome, and Commodus flees to a cool place with laurel groves (Laurentum). The plague spreads among men and beasts alike. (Herodian, History of the Empire 1.12)
Western Europe (2)
Severus led an army against Britain, built an earthwork wall from sea to sea, and died at York. (The year 189 in the chronicle heading is kept as is; the actual events took place in the early 3rd century.) (Anglo-Saxon Chronicle Giles/Ingram 1847 A.D. 189 항 (pg657.txt 줄 974))