FALSE

Hi there! It turns out that the idea of Napoleon being unusually short is actually a historical myth 1, 4. While many people believe he was tiny, he was actually taller than the average Frenchman of his era 1, 5, 6. One big reason for the confusion is that French measurements at the time used 'pieds' (French inches), which were slightly longer than English inches; this caused his height to be misreported in Britain 6, 8. Additionally, Napoleon often chose to surround himself with tall elite guards, which made him appear smaller in comparison 3. Between these measurement errors and English cartoons meant to mock him, the image of the 'short' emperor stuck, even though he was a man of average stature who was actually quite confident and charismatic 1, 5, 7.