Myth #18: How Tall Was Napolean Bonaparte?

Time to set the record straight: Napoleon Bonaparte was no pocket-sized conqueror! Despite his enduring reputation as the pint-sized powerhouse of French history, the truth is he stood at a respectable 5 feet 6 inches—a height that was actually above the average for a Frenchman in the early 19th century.

The misconception about his “small stature” likely sprouted from a measurement quirk between French and British systems, where a French foot was longer than its British counterpart. So, when the Brits converted his height, it inadvertently made him appear shorter than he truly was.