De facto, she would rule China for 46+ years, during two separate spans, 1862–1874, and 1875–1908. Many historians consider her as being both one of the most formidable women—and one of the most adroit politicians—in modern history.
The Qing Dynasty, the last ruling dynasty of China, is not to be confused with the Qin Dynasty (c. 221–206 BCE), the very first dynasty of imperial China. The Qing Dynasty, spanning 1644 to 1912, followed the extraordinary Ming Dynasty. The Qing Dynasty was founded by the minority Manchus, and was also known as the Manchu Dynasty.