I already know about the feet/pied problem as we have discussed this matter frequently. I stated that Napoleon was above average height for the period.

I stand by my statement that all the (many) writers I have read (which is the necessary qualification) who saw Napoleon described him as short. I invite you to find one other than Meneval/Fain who says otherwise. These are not dubious sources. It is not a criticism to describe someone as short.

The average height of the general population was kept down by the large number of underfed people who never made their full growth. The people with whom Napoleon associated did not belong to this class and would have been taller than the average leaving Napoleon at the lower end of that particular group. As I said, short is a relative term.

Susan