Birth of Cixi
Birth of Cixi, daughter of Huizheng, an ordinary official from the Manchu Yehenara clan
Role range: 1861-1908
Historical biography archive · Updated 2026-11-03
Cixi Biography and Timeline
Follow Cixi through 49 dated historical records for China.
Cixi, historical timeline
A chronological timeline drawn from matching World History Database records.
49Distinct records
1 of 2Page
1835–1900Years on this page
1835
1854
Imperial Concubine Yi
Elevated to the fifth rank of consorts and given the title "Imperial Concubine Yi"
Role range: 1861-1908
1856
Birth of the Xianfeng Emperor's only surviving
Gives birth to Zaichun, the Xianfeng Emperor's only surviving son
Role range: 1861-1908
Consort Yi
Elevated to the fourth rank of consorts as "Consort Yi"
Role range: 1861-1908
1857
Noble Consort Yi
Elevated to the third rank of consorts as "Noble Consort Yi"
Role range: 1861-1908
1861
Empress Dowager
Upon the death of the Xianfeng Emperor, his Empress, aged 25, was promoted to the status of Empress Dowager. Although her official title was "Empress Dowager Ci'an", she was popularly known as the "East Empress Dowager" because she lived in the eastern Zhongcui Palace
Role range: 1861-1908
Succession
Upon the death of the Xianfeng Emperor, his Empress, aged 25, was promoted to the status of Empress Dowager
Role range: 1861-1908
Coup
In Rehe Province, while waiting for an astrologically favourable time to transport the emperor's coffin back to Beijing, Cixi conspired with court officials and imperial relatives to seize power
Role range: 1861-1908
1900
Empress Dowager changed her long policy of suppressing Boxers, and issued
The Empress Dowager changed her long policy of suppressing Boxers, and issued edicts in their defence, causing protests from foreign powers
Role range: 1900-1901 – 1861-1908
Siege of Beijing
The railway line to Tianjin was cut by Boxers in the countryside and Beijing was isolated
Role range: 1900-1901 – 1861-1908
Siege of Beijing
The first Boxer, dressed in his finery, was seen in the Legation Quarter. The German Minister, Clemens von Ketteler, and German soldiers captured a Boxer boy and inexplicably executed him. In response, thousands of Boxers burst into the walled city of Beijing that afternoon and burned many of the Christian churches and cathedrals in the city, burning some victims alive
Role range: 1900-1901 – 1861-1908
The Boxers
The first Boxer, dressed in his finery, was seen in the Legation Quarter. The German Minister, Clemens von Ketteler, and German soldiers captured a Boxer boy and inexplicably executed him. In response, thousands of Boxers burst into the walled city of Beijing that afternoon and burned many of the Christian churches and cathedrals in the city, burning some victims alive
Role range: 1900-1901 – 1861-1908
Battle of Dagu Forts
During the war, Imperial Chinese forces deployed a weapon called "electric mines" on June 15, at the river Beihe (Peiho) before the Battle of Dagu Forts to prevent the Eight-Nation Alliance from sending ships to attack
Role range: 1900-1901 – 1861-1908
Battle of Dagu Forts
Cixi received an ultimatum demanding that China surrender control of its military and financial affairs to foreign powers.
Role range: 1900-1901 – 1861-1908
Battle of Dagu Forts
On 17 June they took the Dagu Forts commanding the approaches to Tianjin, and from there brought increasing numbers of troops on shore.
Role range: 1900-1901 – 1861-1908
Battle of Dagu Forts
She told the Grand Council that the powers had begun aggression and that the nation's extinction was imminent.
Role range: 1900-1901 – 1861-1908
Battle of Dagu Forts
The allied nations took steps to reinforce their military presence significantly.
Role range: 1900-1901 – 1861-1908
Battle of Langfang
Muslim General Ma Fuxiang, posted in southern Beijing at Hunting Park, attacked and defeated the Eight Nation Alliance led by the British Admiral Seymour at the Battle of Langfang
Role range: 1900-1901 – 1861-1908
Battle of Langfang
Muslim General Ma Fuxiang, posted in southern Beijing at Hunting Park, attacked and defeated the Eight Nation Alliance led by the British Admiral Seymour at the Battle of Langfang
Role range: 1900-1901 – 1861-1908
Assassination of Clemens von Ketteler
The German envoy, Klemens Freiherr von Ketteler was murdered on 20 June, and the foreign powers immediately demanded redress
Role range: 1900-1901 – 1861-1908
Diplomatic Mission
The German envoy, Klemens Freiherr von Ketteler was murdered on 20 June, and the foreign powers immediately demanded redress
Role range: 1900-1901 – 1861-1908
Siege of Beijing
The legations of the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, Austria-Hungary, Spain, Belgium, The Netherlands, the United States, Russia and Japan were located in the Beijing Legation Quarter south of the Forbidden City. The Chinese army and Boxer irregulars besieged the Legation Quarter from 20 June to 14 August 1900
Role range: 1900-1901 – 1861-1908
Declaration of War
Declares war against all foreign powers
Role range: 1900-1901 – 1861-1908
Declaration of War
Shanghais Chinese elite supported the provincial governors of southeastern China in resisting the Imperial declaration of war. Empress Dowager Cixi, urged by the conservatives of the Imperial Court, supported the Boxers and declared war on foreign powers. A number of regional governors including Li Hongzhang and Zhang Zhidong quietly refused to cooperate
Role range: 1900-1901 – 1861-1908
Empress Dowager Cixi declares war against all Foreign powers
Empress Dowager Cixi declares war against all Foreign powers
Role range: 1900-1901 – 1861-1908
Rule of China
Empress Dowager Cixi, urged by the conservatives of the Imperial Court, supported the Boxers and declared war on foreign powers
Role range: 1900-1901 – 1861-1908
The Boxers
In response to reports of an armed invasion to lift the siege, the initially hesitant Empress Dowager Cixi supported the Boxers and on June 21 issued an Imperial Decree declaring war on the foreign powers. Diplomats, foreign civilians and soldiers as well as Chinese Christians in the Legation Quarter were placed under siege by the Imperial Army of China and the Boxers for 55 days
Role range: 1900-1901 – 1861-1908
Siege of Beijing
Chinese soldiers and Boxers set fire to areas north and west of the British Legation, using it as a "frightening tactic" to attack the defenders
Role range: 1900-1901 – 1861-1908
Completely disregarding diplomatic immunity, the Boxers and some elements of the
Completely disregarding diplomatic immunity, the Boxers and some elements of the Imperial army attacked the foreign compounds in Tianjin and Beijing
Role range: 1900-1901 – 1861-1908
Imperial Army
Diplomats, foreign civilians and soldiers, and Chinese Christians in the Legation Quarter were under siege by the Imperial Army of China and the Boxers for 55 days. Completely disregarding diplomatic immunity, the Boxers and some elements of the Imperial army attacked the foreign compounds in Tianjin and Beijing
Role range: 1900-1901 – 1861-1908
Imperial Army
Completely disregarding diplomatic immunity, the Boxers and some elements of the Imperial army attacked the foreign compounds in Tianjin and Beijing
Role range: 1900-1901 – 1861-1908
Siege of Peking
Diplomats, foreign civilians and soldiers, and Chinese Christians in the Legation Quarter were under siege by the Imperial Army of China and the Boxers for 55 days. Completely disregarding diplomatic immunity, the Boxers and some elements of the Imperial army attacked the foreign compounds in Tianjin and Beijing
Role range: 1900-1901 – 1861-1908
Siege of Tianjin
Completely disregarding diplomatic immunity, the Boxers and some elements of the Imperial army attacked the foreign compounds in Tianjin and Beijing
Role range: 1900-1901 – 1861-1908
Siege of Beijing
An armistice is declared by the Chinese
Role range: 1900-1901 – 1861-1908
Siege of Beijing
The armistice, although occasionally broken, endured until 13 August when, with an allied army led by the British Alfred Gaselee approaching Beijing to relieve the siege, the Chinese launched their heaviest fusillade on the Legation Quarter. As the foreign army approached, Chinese forces melted away
Role range: 1900-1901 – 1861-1908
Boxer Protocol
China is fined war reparations of 450,000,000 taels of fine silver (1 tael = 1.2 troy ounces) for the loss that it caused
Role range: 1900-1901 – 1861-1908
Boxer Protocol
China paid 668,661,220 taels of silver from 1901 to 1939, equivalent in 2010 to ~US$61 billion on a purchasing power parity basis.
Role range: 1900-1901 – 1861-1908
Boxer Protocol
The Boxer Protocol of 7 September 1901 ended the uprising and provided for severe punishments, including an indemnity of 67 million pounds (450 million taels of silver), more than the Governments annual tax revenue.
Role range: 1900-1901 – 1861-1908
Boxer Protocol
The protocol orders the execution of 10 high-ranking officials linked to the outbreak and other officials who were found guilty for the slaughter of Westerners in China.
Role range: 1900-1901 – 1861-1908
Boxer Protocol
The reparation would be paid within 39 years, and would be 982,238,150 taels with interests (4 percent per year) included.
Role range: 1900-1901 – 1861-1908
Records, sources and methodology
These dates and descriptions come from the historical_events database. Exact duplicate records have been collapsed. Names are grouped by the country, Name 2 and Name 1 fields; records with missing Name 2 cannot be reliably assigned to an individual biography. Check the underlying sources before formal citation.