Was Napoleon really that short?

Was Napoleon really that short?

Napoleon Bonaparte was a French military and political leader who is well known for two things, being a master tactician and being shorter than average.

The so called “Napoleon Complex” is a theorized condition occurring in people of short stature and is characterized by over-aggressive social behavior due to this stature.

But Napoleon wasn’t short at all. He is listed as 5 feet 2 inches according to French units. This is the equivalent of 5 feet 6.5 inches in modern measurement units.

This might still be considered short but this was higher than the average height of a Frenchman at that time period.

This myth perpetuated also due his habit of surrounding himself with tall bodyguard due to which he appeared shorter. He was also named ‘le petit caporal’, meaning little corporal.


Debunked!