The world in 496 AD — what happened that year

7 events the sources record for this year, grouped by region.

What happened

The enemy invades Sizhou and the garrison defeats them (Book of Southern Qi (Nan Qishu), Annals 南齊書卷6 建武3年)
The surname was changed to Yuan. (Book of Wei (Weishu), Imperial Annals 魏書卷7下·太和二十年)
After the move to Luoyang, Northern Wei changes clan surnames to Han-style forms; for example, the Baba become the Zhangsun. (Zizhi Tongjian (Comprehensive Mirror) 卷140)
Northern Wei demotes Crown Prince Tuoba Xun to commoner and confines him in Wubi city, Heyang (intercalary month). (Zizhi Tongjian (Comprehensive Mirror) 卷140)

When Kavadh makes a law for the communal sharing of women, the Persians rise up, depose and imprison him, and make Blases, brother of Peroz, king. (Procopius, History of the Wars 1.5.1)

In battle against the Alamanni, Clovis, in peril, makes a vow to Christ. (Gregory of Tours, History of the Franks Hist. Franc. 2.XXX)
Bishop Remigius baptizes Clovis (scholars disagree on the date, between 496 and 508). (Gregory of Tours, History of the Franks Hist. Franc. 2.XXXI)