History · 2
Historians who have examined contemporary records describe Napoleon Bonaparte's actual height as which of the following?
Answer
About average for a Frenchman of his era
Napoleon stood roughly 5 feet 6-7 inches by modern measurement, which was average for a Frenchman in the early 19th century; the 'short' myth stems largely from British propaganda and confusion between French and English measurement units.
💡 Did you know?
Napoleon was actually of average height for his time, but British propaganda depicted him as tiny to mock French military power.
Other options people guess
- Significantly below average for his era
- Significantly above average for his era
- Never reliably recorded by anyone
Topics
- napoleon
- myths
- propaganda
- measurement
Know your history trivia?
Play a free History quiz and see how many you get right — no signup needed to start.
More History facts
History
The enduring myth that Napoleon Bonaparte was unusually short in stature originated mainly from propaganda cartoons produced in which country?
Napoleon was actually of average height for his time, but British propaganda depicted him as tiny to mock French military power.
History
Which nation became the world's first Black-led republic after its enslaved population defeated Napoleon's armies in 1804?
Haiti's enslaved people defeated Napoleon's armies and abolished slavery in 1804, making it the world's first successful slave revolution and only Black-led republic.
History
In what year did Napoleon surrender for the final time?
After Waterloo, Napoleon was exiled to remote Saint Helena Island in the Atlantic Ocean, where he died six years later in 1821.
History
Roughly how long after the 1848 Springtime of Nations had nearly all of the toppled European monarchies been restored to power?
The 1848 Springtime of Nations toppled monarchies across Europe in weeks, yet nearly all were restored within two years—a revolution that almost nobody remembers.
History
Which Norse explorer is credited with reaching North America around 1000 CE, approximately 500 years before Columbus's 1492 voyage?
Viking explorer Leif Erikson reached North America around 1000 AD—500 years before Columbus—yet left no lasting settlements or written records.
History
In what country did the last verified witch execution in Europe take place in 1782?
The last verified witch execution in Europe occurred in 1782 in Switzerland—over a century after Salem and well into the Enlightenment.