@diaristpepys turns 100

In an idle moment I began wondering about historical figures and how they would use the Internet if alive today. It seemed a suitable subject for my 100th blog post.

Exhibit A: Samuel Pepys

• Pepys would definitely have a Facebook page; he wanted to be a member of the establishment and this would be his way of publicising his activities and making Friends
• LinkedIn - Pepys' LinkedIn page says "Naval Administrator has contacts and contracts for negotiation"
• Tinder - a must for Pepys' social activity
• WhatsApp contacts include Oliver Cromwell, Charles I, Charles II and James II.

Exhibit B: Jane Austen

• Jane would obviously have been a blogger: bloggerjane.blogspot.com
• Selling her novels through Amazon Kindle. Book 1 free, book 2 £2.99, book 3 £7.99, now you're hooked it's £14.99 from now on
• Jane's LinkedIn page says "superior librettist seeking comic opera composer for collaboration"
• She set up a WhatsApp group with her sister, brothers and assorted Hampshire country folk

Exhibit C: Leonardo Da Vinci

• Leo started with Instagram, obviously. A new picture every day
• YouTube channel of Leo building massive Lego structures
• LinkedIn: "painter (not houses), sculptor, engineer, inventor, theoretical physicist, mathematician, writer, locksmith, pilot, balloonist, driver, draftsman, interior designer. Available for...well, anything really; I can do a great job for you"

Exhibit D: Caligula

• Definitely a Twitter candidate. "Senators are fat, lazy dangerous lefties. VOTE THEM OUT!!!!" "German Governor conspiracy! Mainstream media won't report it, of course. Neues Deutschland spokesman for the socialists". "I'm gonna build a wall. A big one. The biggest ever built. To keep the peasants out".

Exhibit E: Henry VIII

• Facebook page: 1.5 million Protestant followers; 2 Catholics (Holy Roman Emperor Charles V and his mum)
• Twitter: "Be afraid, be very afraid, Charley boy"
• Tinder: "looking for a wife. Short term temporary post"

Exhibit F: Mao Zedong

• TikTok: pictures of a Long March
• WeChat group with Qin Shi Huang, Kublai Khan and Sun Yat-sen
• Facebook page sponsored by HuaWei
• Twitter: "We're gonna build a wall around Taiwan. A big wall. The biggest ever. To keep the Taiwanese virus out."

So, 100 blog posts! When Geoffrey Boycott reached a century, he took a fresh guard ready for the next 100. So that's what I'll do.