The most enduring parodies were created by James Gillray, a British caricaturist who helped birth the modern political cartoon. His own soldiers gave him several pet names, most of which started with “le petit” (“the little”), and he was consistently portrayed by his critics as a tiny, pugnacious man who attempted to make up for his height by intimidating and dominating those around him.
But throughout his life and career, Napoleon was ridiculed for his short stature. Napoleon had charisma and huge ambitions. As emperor, he attempted to expand France’s reach across the world. Hailed as a national hero, he seized political power over France in a 1799 coup. Napoleon Bonaparte first gained fame when he helped France wrest an unlikely victory against the Austrians in Italy in 1796-earning him the nickname the “Little Corporal.” His military prowess led to even more victories, all characterized by daring, even foolhardy, strategies.
Print By Frédéric Dubois, The Trustees of the British Museum Who was Napoleon? Right: Napoleon's attempts to conquer Europe had earned him many enemies-and satirists delighted in depicting his downfall in political cartoons.
