Cixi signs the Boxer Protocol, ending the Boxer Rebellion and agreeing to concessions.
On January 29, 1901, Empress Dowager Cixi signed the Boxer Protocol, a pivotal treaty that concluded the Boxer Rebellion. The protocol imposed heavy indemnities on China and necessitated significant foreign concessions, reflected in the international community's assertion of power over the Qing Empire. Despite the treaty’s adverse conditions, Cixi's decision to sign it was crucial for restoring peace and order. It demonstrated her ability to negotiate under duress and maintain Qing sovereignty to some degree in an era marked by colonial encroachment and domestic upheaval.