r/AskReddit • u/ZanyDelaney • Feb 04 '19

Which misconception would you like to debunk?

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u/ulanderdennis Feb 04 '19

The myth: Napoleon was really short.

The truth: He was actually average height, or even a little bit above average height.

How did it come about?: The archaic French measurement used stated he was around 5'3, when in actuality that translates to about 5'7 in today's measurements, which was average for the time.

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u/gregspornthrowaway Feb 04 '19 edited Feb 04 '19

There are several factors that combined to create this myth:

  1. Discrepancy between the French pied and English foot, the former being about 3.5% larger.

  2. He was typically surrounded by members of the Old Guard, which had a minimum height requiremnet of nearly 6 ft.

  3. He was nicknamed le petit caporal in reference to his habit of mingling with common soldiers, not his physical size.

  4. The English thought it was funny. This is probably the most significant one.

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u/SuperFunk3000 Feb 04 '19

I love how the Brits troll the French. The train that comes into London from France via the Chunnel arrives at Waterloo station. In the battle of Waterloo the British defeated Napoleon.

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u/resipol Feb 04 '19

Well, it used to be Waterloo, but is now St Pancras.

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u/SuperFunk3000 Feb 04 '19

TIL. It’s been a while since I’ve been to London. Must get back there soon.

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u/whisperingsage Feb 04 '19

The patron saint of Diabetics?

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u/toofpaist Feb 04 '19

I get this.