Surely many of us have heard of nicknames like the dwarf Napoleon, the little emperor, or even the little guy in textbooks, historical documents, or oral stories. But is this true or just a propaganda trick woven over 200 years ago to undermine one of the greatest figures in history?
Napoleon Bonaparte is a name that has become legendary. An emperor who not only shaped the history of France but also shook all of Europe with his military talent, strategic intellect, and relentless ambition. He is remembered for his glorious victories and countless campaigns that expanded French territory to every corner of the continent. But alongside these great achievements, Napoleon is associated with the image of a small man, almost a dwarf, in the minds of many.
Why is such a great figure associated with this image?
Is it true that his height was actually modest, or is this just a product of political schemes, historical misunderstandings, and propaganda campaigns to tarnish his image? To understand why the story of Napoleon's height has become a controversial topic, we first need to understand a bit about the man and his career. Napoleon Bonaparte was born in 1769 in Ajaccio, a small town on the island of Corsica. Just a year after this island was annexed to France from the Republic of Genoa.
The Bonaparte family belonged to the middle class, not high nobility, but still had enough means for Napoleon to be sent to study at prestigious military schools in France. From a young age, he demonstrated sharp intelligence, excellent mathematical ability, and a strong will that would not succumb to difficulties. Napoleon began his military career as an artillery officer. However, his talent was quickly recognized in the context of the French Revolution. This was a chaotic period in the late 18th century when France was divided by internal political struggles and wars with neighboring countries.
In 1793, Napoleon gained fame with his victory at the Battle of Toulon, where he used innovative artillery tactics to defeat the British and reclaim the port. This victory elevated his name to new heights, paving the way for significant advancements in his career. In 1799, when the French Revolution fell into crisis, he staged a coup. He overthrew the government and took control of France. This was a crucial turning point that transformed him from a talented general into the supreme leader of a nation.
In December 1804, in a grand ceremony at Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris, Napoleon crowned himself and became Emperor Napoleon I. This act of crowning himself not only demonstrated supreme power but also sent a powerful message. Napoleon did not need anyone to bestow power upon him. He seized it for himself. However, his catastrophic defeat at the Battle of Waterloo in 1815 marked the end of Napoleon's career. After this defeat, he was exiled to the island of Saint Helena, a remote island in the South Atlantic, where he died in 1821 under British supervision. Nevertheless, Napoleon's legacy lives on. He is regarded as one of the greatest conquerors in history.
Why is such a great figure with glorious achievements like Napoleon called a dwarf?
The answer lies in one word: propaganda. At that time, England, Napoleon's arch-enemy, launched a large-scale propaganda campaign to undermine his image. When they could not defeat him on the battlefield, they turned to attack him with words, images, and even mocking stories, sometimes fabricated tales. Caricatures spread throughout Europe, depicting Napoleon as a small man, often standing on a chair to give orders or being overshadowed by taller generals.
Nicknames like the little subordinate, the kid, or the dwarf were used to mock him, shaking the emperor's reputation in the eyes of the public. This propaganda campaign did not stop at caricatures; articles, documents, and oral stories in England continuously emphasized the image of Napoleon as a short, ordinary man unworthy of the imperial crown.
What was their goal? To transform Napoleon from a symbol of power into a figure of ridicule, thereby weakening the morale of the French army and its allies. This strategy seemed to be extremely effective, especially as the image of the short Napoleon spread to other countries and became ingrained in the public's mind. Later, there was little to compare against. Not only in England, but even in France, some people inadvertently or deliberately contributed to this story. The famous writer Victor Hugo had a period of dissatisfaction with the Bonaparte family. He wrote a book tentatively titled The Little Napoleon in 1852.
However, there is an important detail that many people confuse. This book actually refers to Napoleon III, the nephew of Napoleon Bonaparte, who later came to power. Nevertheless, the name Little Napoleon inadvertently became associated with the great Napoleon Bonaparte, contributing to obscuring the truth and reinforcing the legend of a dwarf emperor. These whispers combined with caricatures and British propaganda created a very persistent image that Napoleon was a small man, almost a dwarf in the eyes of many generations.
How tall was he in history?
Was he a dwarf? To decode this mystery, we need to look at reliable historical records. After Napoleon died on the island, his height was recorded by those closest to him, including his close servant Machen and Dr. Fran Atomachi, who took his death mask. According to this record, Napoleon was over 5 feet 2 inches tall in the French measurement system at that time. It sounds short, but the French measurement system at that time was significantly different from the British system. And this is one of the main reasons for the confusion and misunderstanding about Napoleon's height.
Specifically, 1 French foot is about 32.48 cm, while 1 British foot is 30.48 cm. Additionally, the French inch is also longer than the British inch. If we accurately calculate the height of 5 feet 2 inches plus a small fraction, the French measurement corresponds to about 1.69 to 1.70 in modern units. This is a number that is now seen as short but is not small at all, especially when compared to the average height of that era.
Moreover, another source from Andre Darlin, an Englishman who met Napoleon, claimed that he was about 5 feet 7 inches tall in British units, which is also about 1.7 meters. Despite the small differences between sources, we can conclude that Napoleon's height ranged from 1.69 to 1.70 meters. To visualize, let's compare it with the average height of French soldiers during Napoleon's time. They were only about 1.64 according to historical studies. Compared to this figure, Napoleon was clearly taller than average. Even when compared to some French leaders, such as former French President Nicolas Sarkozy, Napoleon was slightly taller. Mr. Sarkozy is only about 1.66 meters tall.
So why is he still called a dwarf?
As mentioned earlier, the British used propaganda warfare as a weapon to undermine Napoleon when they could not defeat him on the battlefield. They turned to attack him with images and words. Caricatures depicting Napoleon as a small man standing on a chair to give orders or being overshadowed by taller generals were widely circulated throughout Europe. The nicknames mentioned, such as the little subordinate, the kid, or the dwarf, were used to mock him, making people think of Napoleon as an ordinary figure unworthy of the imperial crown. The British campaigns were so successful that the image of the short Napoleon became ingrained in popular culture and persisted for centuries.
The second reason is that Napoleon had an average height greater than his army, but compared to other senior generals, he seemed shorter. He often appeared alongside the commanders of empires, who were usually over 1.9 meters tall. Names like Hachimuras, Makoney, or Luis Alexander Berier were not only famous for their military talent but also had very tall statures. Standing next to these giants, Napoleon, at 1.7 meters, appeared smaller. It's no different from being 1.8 meters tall but standing next to someone who is 2 meters tall, making you seem short.
Conversely, if you are 1.7 meters tall but stand next to someone who is 1.5 meters tall, you become the tall one. The contrast effect inadvertently reinforced the image of the dwarf emperor in the eyes of witnesses or through paintings and images of that time. So can we conclude whether Napoleon was short or not? The answer is clearly no. He was not short. With a height of about 1.69 to 1.70 meters, he was taller than the average height of French men at that time, which was about 1.64 meters.
The legend of the short Napoleon is merely a product of a series of factors, including the British propaganda campaign, the contrast effect when he stood next to taller generals, the confusion over measurement units between France and England, and the cultural biases of the time. Moreover, what made Napoleon great was not necessarily his physical height but the stature of his intellect, strategy, and conquering ambition. He expanded France, dominated Europe, and left an indelible legacy in history.