Welcome to Daily TWiP, your daily dose of all the holidays and history we couldn’t cram into The Week in Preview.

Growing up, most of us are instructed by our parents not to push and shove but to patiently wait our turn. Had that tidbit of wisdom been remembered by the people attending a banquet in honor of the newly-crowned Tsar Nicholas II today (May 18th) in 1896, the Khodynka Tragedy, one of the greatest mass tragedies in recorded history, might have been avoided.

Four days after the coronation of Nicholas II, who would be the last Tsar of Russia, the general public was invited to a celebration at Khodynka Field in Moscow. The Tsar was going to hand out gifts in honor of his coronation, and it was rumored that the gifts were expensive indeed.

The excited populace began to gather at the field as early as the night before. By the time the celebration began, as many as 500,000 people were estimated to have been present at Khodynka Field.

A rumor, however, soon began to circulate through the crowds. So many people were present, it was claimed, the Tsar did not have enough gifts to distribute and the supply would soon run out.

A stampede ensued as people frantically tried to make their way to the front of the lines at the tables where the presents were being handed out. The comparatively small police force of 1,800 men were powerless to control the crowds, and 1,389 people were trampled to death in the panic. Another 1,300 were injured.

Those who lived to receive their gifts were no doubt surprised by what they received: a piece of sausage, a bread roll, some gingerbread, and a mug. Historical record is somewhat vague, but there may have also been pretzels.

The Tsar spent much of the day visiting the wounded and the families of those who had perished, and later made sure they received government aid. In a desperate attempt to pin the blame on someone, the General Prefect of Police was dismissed from his position. The Minister of the Court resigned his post soon after.

The true reason behind the tragedy, however, seems to be that the people forgot another important piece of parental wisdom: don’t believe everything you hear.

Daily TWiP appears Monday through Saturday courtesy of The Week in Preview. Read more of both at www.nashuatelegraph.com/columnists/weekinpreview.

– Teresa Santoski