Napoleon Bonaparte was no stranger to propaganda. He knew the importance of shaping, if not magnifying, his reputation, and among his efforts were censoring the French press when he was emperor and dictating his life story during his exile. Yet, there was one particularly pesky aspect of his legacy that Napoleon could not control: word that he was short. The rumor was rampant during his lifetime and persisted for centuries after his death. In the 21st century, people may not be able to say exactly why Napoleon was so important, but they can usually say that he was short. Alas, the one thing everyone remembers about Napoleon probably isn’t even true! Napoleon was called Le Petit Caporal, but the nickname, translated as The Little Corporal, was not meant as a reflection of his stature. It was intended as a term of affection by his soldiers. Indeed, many contemporary French paintings suggest that the general was not short but of average stature.

Source: Britannica