Napoleon Wasn't Actually Short

The enduring image of a short, furious Napoleon Bonaparte is one of history's most successful and lasting smear campaigns. The myth stems from a combination of a simple measurement mix-up and deliberate British wartime propaganda. At his autopsy, his height was recorded as 5 pieds 2 pouces in the old French system. However, the French inch (pouce) of that era was longer than the British imperial inch we are familiar with. When converted correctly, Napoleon’s height comes out to nearly 5 feet 7 inches, which was not only average but actually slightly taller than the average Frenchman of the early 19th century.

This misunderstanding was eagerly exploited by British cartoonists, who found a powerful weapon in ridicule. Artists like James Gillray consistently depicted their great adversary as "Little Boney," a petulant, pint-sized tyrant often shown throwing tantrums or being dwarfed by his own ambitions. This caricature was designed to diminish his stature in the public eye, making the formidable emperor seem less threatening and more absurd. Even his affectionate nickname from his troops, "Le Petit Caporal" (The Little Corporal), which referred to his camaraderie with the common soldier, was twisted by his enemies to reinforce this false image of a physically small man.