---
node: boxer_rebellion
type: event
slug: boxer_rebellion
title: "Boxer Rebellion"
lead: "A north-China popular movement hostile to foreigners and Christianity escalated in 1900 into war between the Qing court and eight foreign powers. The Boxer Protocol of 1901 imposed a huge indemnity and foreign garrisons on China."
published: 2026-07-09
updated: 2026-07-09
image_file: boxer_rebellion.jpg
image_source: "https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Boxer_rebellion_SLNSW_457281.jpg"
image_author: "Unknown author"
image_license: "Public domain"
---

## What happened

The Boxers attacked Chinese Christians and foreigners; in June 1900 the Qing court under Empress Dowager Cixi backed them and declared war on the foreign powers. Boxers and Qing troops besieged Beijing's legation quarter for 55 days, and the German minister von Ketteler was killed. An Eight-Nation Alliance expedition — Japan, Russia, Britain, France, the United States, Germany, Italy, and Austria-Hungary — took Beijing in August 1900; the court fled to Xi'an, and looting and punitive expeditions followed.

## Background

The "Boxers United in Righteousness" blended martial arts and spirit-possession rituals with anti-foreign and anti-Christian anger, fed by drought and by resentment of missionary privilege.

## Consequences

The Boxer Protocol (September 1901) imposed an indemnity of 450 million taels payable over 39 years, foreign garrisons, punishment of officials, and the razing of forts. The dynasty's credibility drained away, and even the court turned to reform; parts of the indemnity were later remitted toward education — the origins of Tsinghua.