Empress Dowager Cixi's edict to declare war against several foreign powers was a pivotal moment in the Boxer Rebellion, a violent anti-foreign and anti-Christian uprising in China that began in the late 1890s. The Boxers, a secret society also known as the 'Yihequan', aimed to rid China of foreign influence through violent means. They believed that certain rituals and beliefs could protect them from bullets, leading to brutal attacks on foreign nationals and Chinese Christians. With increasing violence, foreign troops were deployed to protect their citizens and interests in China. The response from Cixi represented a desperate and controversial gambit to unify various factions within China against a common enemy, hoping that the declaration of war would galvanize support for the Boxers and demonstrate Chinese resolve. It marked a turning point in the Boxer Rebellion, prompting a full military intervention by an Eight-Nation Alliance, which included Britain, Japan, the United States, France, Germany, Russia, Italy, and Austria-Hungary. Following the declaration, foreign legations in Beijing came under siege, leading to intense fighting and a wider conflict across China. The implication for Cixi's reign was significant, as she navigated the treacherous waters of foreign relations while attempting to maintain control over a fragmented nation.