The Boxer Rebellion ignited in 1899, the work of the Harmonious First secret society.
The group seized the property of Christian missionaries , attracting militant followers, then moved into cities, attacking and killing foreigners.
Western countries sent troops, but the Empress Dowager sided with the Boxers declaring war on the West. Western forces defeated the Imperial Army and the Boxers in 1901, executing government members who had supported the Boxers and imposing sanctions that weakened the Qing rule.
