Napoleon Bonaparte is well known today as one of the greatest conquerors of the past, but he may even be better known for his rumored short height. His alleged stunted stature even spurred the "Napoleon complex" that is said to afflict those who also suffer from being shorter than the average and aren't too happy about it. But what if this Napoleon fun fact isn't actually true? In reality, a lot of interesting Napoleon facts we think we know have been altered, misremembered, or transformed by history. The truth may actually make him even more interesting!
1- He Commissioned A
'New Language' That Today We Know As Braille
While at war, soldiers who lit lanterns to read orders and letters
at night were often targeted. To combat this, Napoleon wanted to come up with a
way to communicate in the dark without giving up their location. A member of
his army, Charles Barbier, came up with a raised dot system that
communicated general words or sounds so the soldiers could effectively
communicate necessities at night. That system was later refined to make what we
know today as braille.
2- Napoleon Ordered 10
Days Of Grieving When George Washington Passed
George Washington passed away in Mount Vernon in 1799, and
when he did, tens of thousands of people mourned the loss. Among those
saddened was Napoleon Bonaparte. To honor the American revolutionary Napoleon
declared 10 days of official mourning in France.
3- He Was More Italian
Than French
Napoleon Bonaparte was a Corsican by birth, whose
father was integral in beginning the integration with the French. Being
born before the French integration, Napoleon's name was in fact spelled
differently and adjusted once he rose to power in the French army. However,
it's said that he embodied neither the Corsican nor the French ideals.
4- Some Of His English
Writings Were Saved
Napoleon was extremely interested in learning new things,
especially languages. Until he was about 10, he spoke just Italian, but he
added French in as Corsica had recently come under their control. He did
then request English lessons, and it's the writings from these that
have been preserved.
5- Young Napoleon
Applied To Be A Part Of A Lost French Expedition
Louis XVI desperately wanted to commission a trip around the world
to better equip his maritime forces in the wake of the American
Revolution, and in 1785 he appointed two ships to take on the task. Each ship
would have about 100 personnel on board including scientists, sailors, and
officers. A young Napoleon Bonaparte did indeed apply to be one of the seamen
on the expedition but was turned down. The ships lost contact and went missing
at some point, and all the men are believed to have perished.
6- Napoleon Smelled
Like A Cologne Still Sold Today
Napoleon was known to keep up with his hygiene. One of his
favorite methods of keeping clean was dousing himself in Eau de Cologne,
which was his cologne of choice. It's expected he went through 60 flasks of the
scent in a single month. This particular cologne can still be purchased today,
but the recipe does remain secret so it's tough to say whether that
recipe has changed over time.
7- He Was Actually
Average Height For The Time
Pre-metric system French measurements do state that Napoleon
Bonaparte stood at about 5'2" which would certainly enforce the theory
that he was short. However, converting the measurements taken at the time
compared to the metric system that is used in France now suggests that Napoleon
actually stood at about 5'5." In the early 19th century, the average
male in France stood at about 5'6," making Napoleon just under average
height with a difference not nearly big enough to characterize him as unusually
short.
8- Napoleon Made It To
Moscow But Had To Retreat Shortly After
Yes, Napoleon's Grande Armeé made it all the way to Moscow,
but the whole way there they were faced with a retreating Russian army that
burned everything in their path, so they found essentially nothing but
desolation on their way. When Napoleon and his men did make it to Moscow, the
city was completely evacuated and had been lit on fire by Russian patriots.
Napoleon eventually had to order his troops back home to avoid starving
and freezing due to the upcoming winter.
9- His Defeat At
Waterloo Was Partially Due To A Volcanic Eruption
A volcano had erupted nearly 8,000 miles from Waterloo
in Indonesia about two months before Napoleon's armies stormed in to what would
become their demise. But the volcano that erupted may have been the reason his
army lost at the Battle of Waterloo. It's documented that the conditions had
become wet and muddy after the explosion because it had caused an atmospheric
disturbance. These conditions in the midst of battle were factors that led to
the French defeat.
10-
Napoleon Crowned Himself At His Coronation
It's true that Napoleon was the one who personally placed the
crown on his own head, which was not customary. Traditionally, the pope was present
at the coronations to place the crown upon the incumbent to signify their rule
is God's will. By placing it on his own head, it can be inferred that
Napoleon was making a statement that he alone was responsible for his
coming into power. However, Napoleon was also noted as saying that he
"had not brought the pope such a long way to do nothing," so there's
some evidence Pope Pius VII blessed the event.
11-
He Allowed His Son Only Half His Name
Napoleon's sexual prowess is highly contested: he only claimed to
have seven mistresses, but he probably had many more - up to three times more.
So it's no surprise that he fathered some illegitimate children. One of those
children was born Charles Léon Denuelle. The boy was his first child, and
his mother Caroline asked to name him after his father. While Napoleon did
agree, he only wanted to give part of his name to his first son, leaving him
with Léon instead of the full Napoleon.
12-
Napoleon Was Beaten At Waterloo By The Same Duke Who Stole His
Mistresses
His rendezvous with Napoleon's mistresses are rumors, but the Duke
of Wellington was linked to both singer Giuseppina Grassini and actress
Marguerite Weimer. It was Marguerite who claimed emphatically that Arthur
Wellesley was by far the better lover.
13-
Napoleon's Male Appendage Is In New Jersey
Napoleon's male organ was cut off during his autopsy and
later put up for auction in Paris. It was purchased at that auction by a
urologist out of New
Jersey who
believed it should be preserved properly and kept with dignity, so he hardly
showed it to anyone. It is confirmed that it still exists today and is, in
fact, 1.5 inches in length.
14-
He Urged His Wife Not To Bathe While He Was Gone
Apparently, Napoleon had a sensitive nose, and instead of
insisting his wife remain extremely clean at all times - as he often
maintained - there are letters that show him
asking Josephine to not shower while he was away. Doing this, Napoleon was able
to take in her full and natural scent when he finally came back home.
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