Imperial Decree of declaration of war against foreign powers
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Imperial Decree of declaration of war against foreign powers (Chinese:宣战诏书) was a 1900 declaration of war against the colonising powers: Russia, America, England, Japan, France, Germany, Spain, Austria-Hungary, Belgium, and Holland simultaneously. This declaration of war was one of the direct cause of the Boxer Rebellion
and Eight-Nation Alliance
, which then led to Boxer Protocol
. This Royal Decree was officially issued in the name of Guangxu Emperor
, bearing his official Royal Seal, who was in effect under house arrest, ordered by Empress Dowager Cixi
at that time, as the full administrative power was in the hand of the Empress Dowager.
and Liang Qichao
were helping the young Guangxu Emperor to start the Hundred Days Reform, which was "too fast, too ambitious, and lacked any sense of political reality" and they approached Yuan Shikai
's help to stage a military coup to topple the conservative forces of the Manchu Court. Yuan Shikai
instead of taking side with the reformers, revealed the plot which included the executions of top conservative powers. Empress Dowager fought back by putting the young emperor under house arrest and regained the power at the Court. The Great Powers then showed their support for the emperor, Dowager Cixi fearing that the Guangxu Emperor
might fight back with the help of foreigners, issued a royal decree of declaration of war against all eleven of the then Great Powers.
Boxer Rebellion
The Boxer Rebellion, also called the Boxer Uprising by some historians or the Righteous Harmony Society Movement in northern China, was a proto-nationalist movement by the "Righteous Harmony Society" , or "Righteous Fists of Harmony" or "Society of Righteous and Harmonious Fists" , in China between...
and Eight-Nation Alliance
Eight-Nation Alliance
The Eight-Nation Alliance was an alliance of Austria-Hungary, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States whose military forces intervened in China to suppress the anti-foreign Boxers and relieve the siege of the diplomatic legations in Beijing .- Events :The...
, which then led to Boxer Protocol
Boxer Protocol
The Boxer Protocol was signed on September 7, 1901 between the Qing Empire of China and the Eight-Nation Alliance that had provided military forces plus Belgium, Spain and the Netherlands after China's defeat in the intervention to put down the Boxer Rebellion at the hands of the...
. This Royal Decree was officially issued in the name of Guangxu Emperor
Guangxu Emperor
The Guangxu Emperor , born Zaitian of the Aisin-Gioro clan, was the eleventh emperor of the Manchurian Qing Dynasty, and the ninth Qing emperor to rule over China. His reign lasted from 1875 to 1908, but in practice he ruled, under Empress Dowager Cixi's influence, only from 1889 to 1898...
, bearing his official Royal Seal, who was in effect under house arrest, ordered by Empress Dowager Cixi
Empress Dowager Cixi
Empress Dowager Cixi1 , of the Manchu Yehenara clan, was a powerful and charismatic figure who became the de facto ruler of the Manchu Qing Dynasty in China for 47 years from 1861 to her death in 1908....
at that time, as the full administrative power was in the hand of the Empress Dowager.
The origin of the war
Kang YouweiKang Youwei
Kang Youwei , was a Chinese scholar, noted calligrapher and prominent political thinker and reformer of the late Qing Dynasty. He led movements to establish a constitutional monarchy and was an ardent Chinese nationalist. His ideas inspired a reformation movement that was supported by the Guangxu...
and Liang Qichao
Liang Qichao
Liang Qichao |Styled]] Zhuoru, ; Pseudonym: Rengong) was a Chinese scholar, journalist, philosopher and reformist during the Qing Dynasty , who inspired Chinese scholars with his writings and reform movements...
were helping the young Guangxu Emperor to start the Hundred Days Reform, which was "too fast, too ambitious, and lacked any sense of political reality" and they approached Yuan Shikai
Yuan Shikai
Yuan Shikai was an important Chinese general and politician famous for his influence during the late Qing Dynasty, his role in the events leading up to the abdication of the last Qing Emperor of China, his autocratic rule as the second President of the Republic of China , and his short-lived...
's help to stage a military coup to topple the conservative forces of the Manchu Court. Yuan Shikai
Yuan Shikai
Yuan Shikai was an important Chinese general and politician famous for his influence during the late Qing Dynasty, his role in the events leading up to the abdication of the last Qing Emperor of China, his autocratic rule as the second President of the Republic of China , and his short-lived...
instead of taking side with the reformers, revealed the plot which included the executions of top conservative powers. Empress Dowager fought back by putting the young emperor under house arrest and regained the power at the Court. The Great Powers then showed their support for the emperor, Dowager Cixi fearing that the Guangxu Emperor
Guangxu Emperor
The Guangxu Emperor , born Zaitian of the Aisin-Gioro clan, was the eleventh emperor of the Manchurian Qing Dynasty, and the ninth Qing emperor to rule over China. His reign lasted from 1875 to 1908, but in practice he ruled, under Empress Dowager Cixi's influence, only from 1889 to 1898...
might fight back with the help of foreigners, issued a royal decree of declaration of war against all eleven of the then Great Powers.