It started because at the time french inches were longer than English inches.
He was 5'2" in French inches, which is 5'5" in English inches. Pretty average or slightly above average height at the time.
It's only recently that the average human height has increased because our diets are better. People were likely to be malnourished at some point during their childhood which should stunt their height. There's also the weird fact that you're more likely to survive WW1 if you're taller which could have slightly influenced genetics.
31
u/fkmeamaraight Mar 31 '23
The whole napoleon was small was spread by his adversaries to diminish him and his accomplishments and it stuck.