Cixi: Dowager Empress of China

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Name: Cixi, Dowager Empress of China (Nov 29, 1835 - Nov 15, 1908)
Event Associated With: Boxer Rebellion, China




Empress Dowager Cixi (慈禧太后) was one of the last of the Manchu (滿族) rulers in China and the last Dowager Empress. Contrary to tradition and policy, Cixi took over as empress, and had enormous influence and power – possibly more than Queen Victoria of England.

She was a minor concubine of emperor Xianfeng and became the mother of his only son, Tongzhi. Following the emperor’s death, Cixi and the late emperor’s senior wife, Ci’an, became his regents. In 1875, two years after Tongzhi came of age, he was dead – and it was believed Cixi (his mother) was involved.

Cixi violated normal succession rules and named her nephew the emperor while she and Ci’an served as regents again. Ci’an died and left Cixi the only regent. After her nephew came to age, he implemented a series of reforms that would open China more to the foreigners.

Cixi was very opposed to foreigners and led a military coup to re-install her as regent. One year after becoming regent again, she supported the Boxer Rebellion, which was defeated, and Cixi was forced to accept the peace terms. She continued to rule with extremely diminished power until her death. It was rumored that she also ordered her nephew (still the emperor) to be poisoned as she died.