British propaganda of the time promoted the idea that Napoleon was short. In reality, his height was average for the period.
Napoleon complex, or "short man syndrome", also found in short women, is a pejorative slang term describing a type of psychological phenomenon which is said to exist in people, usually men, of short stature. It can also be pronounced as 'Napoleonic Complex'. [1] It is characterized by overly-aggressive or domineering social behaviour, and carries the implication that such behaviour is compensatory for the subjects' stature. The term is also used more generally to describe people who are driven by a perceived handicap to overcompensate in other aspects of their lives. Other names for the term include Napoleon syndrome[2] and Short Man syndrome.[3]
The Napoleon complex is named after Emperor Napoleon I of France. The conventional wisdom is that Napoleon compensated for his lack of height by seeking power, war and conquest. Though he was long reported to have stood at only 5 ft 2 in (1.57 m),[4] historians have now suggested Napoleon was actually 5 ft 6 in (1.68 m) tall. Napoleon was often seen with his Imperial Guard, which contributed to the perception of his being short because the Imperial Guards were above average height.[5] In psychology, the Napoleon complex is regarded as a derogatory social stereotype.[6]