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The Star
4 days ago
- Politics
- The Star
QuickCheck: Was Napoleon really short?
Napoleon Bonaparte was born in 1769. He was a French general and statesman who literally redrew the map of Europe after leading a series of military campaigns from 1796 to 1815. NAPOLEON Bonaparte, the legendary military leader and Emperor of France, is often remembered for his immense ambition, strategic genius and, curiously, his supposed diminutive stature. His height and temper has inspired the term 'the Napoleon Complex', which later became a popular belief that short men tend to compensate for their lack of height through domineering behavior and aggression. So, is it true? Was he really a tiny titan, or is this one of history's tallest tales? Verdict: FALSE The notion of Napoleon being short may be one of history's most enduring misconceptions. Part of the ongoing confusion seems to stem from the difference in the French and English measuring systems back in the day. The French "pouce" is equal to 1.06 English inches, which meant that in France at the time, Napoleon was said to be five feet two inches tall. More than one Napoleon observer, however, had said he was about five foot six inches tall, which is a little above average for a French man then. This height was confirmed at his autopsy. An engraving titled 'Armed Heroes' by James Gillray which was published in 1803 poking fun at Napoleon's alleged diminutive stature. Historians also point out that Napoleon was often surrounded by his Imperial Guard, who were exceptionally tall. This made him appear shorter by comparison, further cementing the myth. But one of the main reasons Napoleon was so relentlessly mocked might have come down to anxieties about his outsized ambitions, which prompted his enemies to try to cut him down to size. The British, Napoleon's long-time adversaries, had a hand in promoting the image of Napoleon as a short man. British cartoonists like James Gillray "manipulated size and dress to symbolically deflate a threatening military opponent." The long-standing influence of Gillray's satire shows how mockery can be a powerful weapon against the powerful. References: 1. napoleon-bonaparte-short- 1221108 2. articles/napoleon-complex- short 3. biography/Napoleon-I
CBS News
26-04-2025
- General
- CBS News
Napoleon's sword from 1802 to be sold at auction in Paris
A sword that belonged to Napoleon Bonaparte and was specially ordered for the personal use by the French emperor will be auctioned in Paris next month, an auction house said. Napoleon ordered the sabre in 1802 and kept it throughout his reign. The Giquello auction firm said on Friday it expected the sword to reach $800,000 to $1.1 million when it goes under the hammer in Paris on May 22. Napoleon passed the sabre on to his close ally Emmanuel de Grouchy, whom the French emperor named his last marshal of the empire. The sword has been in Grouchy's family since 1815, the year of Napoleon's last defeat at the Battle of Waterloo. French Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte tries to lead the final assault by his Imperial Guard at the Battle of Waterloo during the Napoleonic War of the Seventh Coalition on 18th June 1815 at Waterloo, Belgium. / Getty Images A second copy, identical to this one and also commissioned by Napoleon, is kept at the Hermitage Museum in Saint Petersburg, Russia. Napoleon memorabilia regularly comes up for sale at auction in France in a flourishing trade marked by intense interest from collectors. Two pistols that he once intended to use to kill himself were sold in France last July for 1.7 million euros, while one of his trademark "bicorne" hats set a record price for his possessions when it was acquired for a history-making $2.1 million in November 2023. French auction house Osenat expected the hat to go for up to $875,328, but it far surpassed that amount. Napoleon owned about 120 "bicorne" hats, but only about 16 remain, mainly in private collections. The only known copy of his will sold at auction in 2013 for $483,000 - more than twice the expected price. The will, dated April 16, 1821, detailed insights into Napoleon's final moments before his death 19 days later at 51 years old. Napoleon wrote he wanted his ashes spread over Paris' Seine River, instead, they were transferred to Paris' Invalides monument nearly two decades later. A lock of hair from the former French emperor sold for $13,000 in 2010 at an auction in New Zealand. A hand-written letter from Napoleon denying his role in the kidnapping of Pope Pius VII in 1809 is to go under the hammer this weekend outside Paris and is expected to reach 12,000 to 15,000 euros.
