17 events the sources record for this year, grouped by region.
What happened
China (11)
The carriage of Emperor Xian reached Luoyang and entered the former house of the former Zhongchangshi Zhao Chong. (Book of the Later Han (Hou Hanshu), Annals 後漢書卷9 孝獻帝紀 建安1年)
Cao Cao concurrently took the post of Commandant of the Directorate (Sili), seized control of government and moved the capital to Xu. (Book of the Later Han (Hou Hanshu), Annals 後漢書卷9 孝獻帝紀 建安1年)
Cao Cao reached Luoyang and guarded the capital; the emperor gave him the axe and the seal and made him Director of Affairs of the Secretariat. (Records of the Three Kingdoms (Sanguozhi) 魏書 武帝紀 (卷01) 建安1년)
The emperor left Huanyuan and went east, and Cao Cao established his capital at Xu (on the advice of Dong Zhao). (Records of the Three Kingdoms (Sanguozhi) 魏書 武帝紀 (卷01) 建安1년)
Sun Ce crossed the Zhe River, took Kuaiji, massacred the people of Dongye, defeated Yan Baihu and others, and then also held the post of Governor of Kuaiji. (Records of the Three Kingdoms (Sanguozhi) 吳書 孫破虜討逆傳 (卷46) 建安1년)
On day gengzi, Yang Feng and Han Xian escorted the emperor back east; in the seventh month, day jiazi, they reached Luoyang and lodged in the former house of the Zhongchangshi Cao Chong. In the eighth month he entered the Yang'an Hall of the Southern Palace, and Zhang Yang called it Yang'an, claiming it as his own merit. (Zizhi Tongjian (Comprehensive Mirror) 資治通鑑 卷062 (원문 단락 #5078, 196년))
Sun Ce, saying that Yan Baihu and others were 'bandits with no great ambitions', crossed the Zhejiang and advanced on Kuaiji. Yu Fan, the Kuaiji Gongcao, told the Governor Wang Lang to flee, but Wang Lang did not listen and sent out troops to block Sun Ce. (Zizhi Tongjian (Comprehensive Mirror) 資治通鑑 卷062 (원문 단락 #5083, 196년))
Han Xian, relying on his merit, acted arbitrarily; Dong Cheng secretly summoned Cao Cao. Cao Cao arrived at Luoyang, reported the crimes of Han Xian and Zhang Yang, and on day xinhai held concurrently the posts of Commander of Escort Officers and Director of Secretaries, and killed three men including Secretary Feng Shi. (Zizhi Tongjian (Comprehensive Mirror) 資治通鑑 卷062 (원문 단락 #5088, 196년))
Byzantium surrendered: soldiers and officials were executed, the city lost its independence and was made subject to Perinthus, and its walls were demolished (Dio himself saw the fallen walls) (Cassius Dio, Roman History 75(74).14)
Southern Europe (5)
At the last horse race before the Saturnalia the crowd cried out together "How long will we suffer this, how long will we make war?"; ill omens such as fire in the sky and silver rain appeared (Cassius Dio, Roman History 76(75).4.2)
The schoolteacher Numerianus posed as a senator, gathered an army in Gaul, killed Albinus's cavalry and sent 70 million sesterces to Severus (Cassius Dio, Roman History 76(76).5.1)
In an earlier battle Albinus defeated Severus's general Lupus and killed many of his soldiers (Cassius Dio, Roman History 76(76).6.2)
Severus explains to the army why he struck Niger and incites them to punish Albinus's betrayal in the same way. (Herodian, History of the Empire 3.6)
When the plot is exposed, Albinus gathers a large army and advances, winning the first clash against Severus's generals, but later Severus comes to Gaul in person and fights a fierce battle (Historia Augusta Clod. 8.4)