Napoleon III: AKA “The Little Emperor”

Napoleon III, also known as Louis-Napoléon Bonaparte, was the nephew of the infamous Napoleon Bonaparte - and boy, oh boy, did he have some big shoes to fill! Unfortunately for him, he only managed to fill those shoes when it came to his height.

Yep, that’s right, Napoleon III was famously known as “the Little Emperor” - and not just because he didn’t measure up to his Uncle’s accomplishments. Standing at just 5’5”, he probably would have been a better fit ruling over a colony of garden gnomes.

But despite his stature, Napoleon III managed to accomplish some things in his reign. He’s perhaps best known for his efforts in modernizing France, building up infrastructure and improving the economy. Rumor has it, however, that his napoleon complex had a lot to do with these efforts.

Some of his notable achievements include the construction of the Paris Opera and the Paris Métro (perhaps as a way to make up for his own inadequacies), as well as the expansion of the French overseas empire.

Despite these accomplishments, Napoleon III’s reign wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows. He famously got his butt kicked during the Franco-Prussian War, resulting in his exile to England (where, coincidentally, he was still taller than most of the people there).

In the end, Napoleon III’s legacy is as mixed as his height. He may have been a bit of an underdog, but he still managed to be a significant historical figure, even if it was just for being one of the shortest emperors in history.