Thread by @MyDoncaster

Legend has it that Maria Feodorovna saved someone’s life with punctuation.

Let us tell you the story, and how you can take inspiration from her during #coronavirus.

It’s time for another history lesson from Doncaster Council ⬇️

Maria was a Danish princess born in 1847.

When her fiancé Nicholas, who was heir to the Russian throne, tragically died, he made one wish:

It was that Maria would marry his brother.

Because history is filled with examples of things being JUST GREAT for women, that’s what ended up happening.

Maria was married to Nicholas’ brother, Alexander.

Here they are.

In 1881, Alexander was crowned the new monarch of Russia after his father was killed by a bomb.

These were very dangerous times in Russia, with terrorist plots and scheming gangs never too far away.

Nevertheless, Maria was loved by the public. Presumably for her interior design tastes – just LOOK at that chair.

Because things were so violent, Alexander had to be a tough ruler. He wouldn’t do anything fun, like organise an annual Dragon Boat race like we do.

Alexander exiled hundreds of his enemies, and sentenced many to their deaths. Whimsical rowing events weren’t high on the agenda.

One day, legend has it that Maria happened to come across her husband’s papers. Amongst them was the list of people due to be exiled or executed.

Next to one of the names, Alexander had written ‘Pardon impossible. To be sent to Siberia.’

Being sent to Siberia was as good as a death sentence, something that Maria knew.

She spotted an opportunity to spare someone’s life, even though she had no clue who this person was. It’s said that Maria added a comma to her husband’s sentence, so it read:

‘Pardon, impossible to send to Siberia’.

The prisoner was duly pardoned and their life was saved.

Why do we share this story?

Well, it struck us that Maria’s actions are probably the LEAST anyone has ever had to do in order to save a life.

That is…until now.

We have the ability to LITERALLY SAVE LIVES by doing nothing whatsoever.

Staying at home, baking cakes, watching TV, sitting in the garden, clapping outside our front door. Any one of these activities will help to stop other people from dying needlessly.

How amazing is that?!

Unlike Maria, we don’t even have to risk the wrath of the Russian leadership by tampering with official government papers.

In fact, we’d actively discourage the people of Doncaster from trying to do that, if anything.

So…what have we learned?

1. Maria Feodorovna was a bit of a legend. You go, girl.

2. She’s perhaps the only person in history who had to do less than us to save someone’s life.

3. Perhaps the most important lesson of Maria's legacy - You're punctuation is to important too, ignore..

#covid19 #coronavirus #stayhomesavelives