First Opium War
Following Lin Zexu's failure to push back the British in the First Opium War, the Daoguang Emperor ordered Qishan to replace Lin as the Governor-General of Guangdong and Guangxi and entrusted him with the delicate task of negotiating a peace treaty with the British. Without getting appropriate sanction from the throne, Qishan agreed to the abortive Convention of Chuenpee with the British on 20 January 1841. Among other things, the convention ceded Hong Kong Island to the British and that the Qing Empire pay an indemnity of 6 million dollars to the British. Because of this, Qishan was dismissed from his post and condemned to death, but the sentence was later commuted to banishment.
Read more about this topic: Qishan (Manchu Official)
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