The last empress of China was Empress Dowager Cixi, who effectively ruled from 1861 until her death in 1908. Although she never officially held the title of empress, Cixi wielded significant power as the de facto leader of the Qing Dynasty. She initially gained influence by being the mother of the Tongzhi Emperor and maintained control during the reigns of her son and later her nephew, the Guangxu Emperor. Cixi is often credited with attempts to modernize China during a tumultuous period marked by internal strife and foreign intervention, although her conservative policies faced criticism and contributed to the dynasty's decline.