15 Myths About Famous Historical Figures That Aren’t True
History books and popular culture have perpetuated countless myths about historical figures, turning speculation and misunderstandings into commonly accepted “facts.” Setting the record straight reveals these legendary characters as more complex, interesting, and human than their mythologized versions suggest.
Here’s 15 common myths about famous historical figures which aren’t true.
Marie Antoinette – “Let them eat cake”
The infamous phrase “Let them eat cake” never passed her lips. Contemporary records show this quote was attributed to a generic “great princess” in Jean-Jacques Rousseau’s book Confessions, written when Marie Antoinette was just nine years old.
The young queen actually founded a home for unwed mothers and personally cared for a peasant child struck by a cart at Versailles. Though extravagant, she showed far more compassion for common people than history suggests.
Albert Einstein – Failed math in school
The brilliant physicist never failed math. This persistent myth arose from a misunderstanding of the Swiss grading system, where 1 was the highest mark and 6 the lowest.
Einstein excelled in mathematics from an early age, mastering differential and integral calculus by fourteen. His high school transcripts show consistently outstanding performance in math and physics. The myth perhaps endures because it makes the genius seem more relatable.
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Napoleon Bonaparte – The short emperor
Standing 5 feet 6 inches (168 cm), Napoleon was actually of average height for his time. The “short man” myth stemmed from British propaganda and confusion between French and British units of measurement.
The French inch was longer than the British inch, making his height of “5 feet 2 inches” in French measurements equivalent to 5’6″ in British terms. His nickname, “Le Petit Caporal,” referred to his approachability among soldiers, not his stature.
Vincent van Gogh – Cut off his entire ear
The troubled artist didn’t cut off his entire ear – only a portion of his left earlobe. During a psychological crisis, he severed part of his ear with a razor, wrapped it in newspaper, and delivered it to a local brothel.
The myth of the whole ear persists partly because van Gogh’s famous self-portraits show his right ear as he painted himself in mirrors. His mental health struggles were real, but many details have been sensationalized.
George Washington – Had wooden teeth
Washington suffered from dental problems throughout his life and had several sets of dentures, none made purely of wood. The myth likely arose from staining and discoloration of his ivory dentures.
Additionally, he never chopped down his father’s cherry tree – that story was invented by biographer Mason Locke Weems.
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Cleopatra – Egyptian beauty
The last active ruler of the Ptolemaic Kingdom of Egypt wasn’t Egyptian at all but of Macedonian Greek descent. Another surprise: she likely wasn’t the legendary beauty often portrayed.
Ancient coins bearing her image show a woman with a pronounced nose and sharp features. Her power came from her brilliant mind – she spoke nine languages and was educated in mathematics, philosophy, oratory, and astronomy.
Christopher Columbus – Proved Earth was round
The explorer never set out to prove Earth was round. Educated people had known Earth’s spherical shape since ancient Greek times. Columbus instead argued about Earth’s circumference, drastically underestimating it.
He died believing he had reached Asia, never acknowledging the new continent he encountered. He also never stepped foot on the North American mainland, primarily exploring Caribbean islands and parts of Central and South America.
Lady Godiva – Naked ride through town
The tale of her naked ride through Coventry to protest taxes appears centuries after her death. While Lady Godiva was a real Anglo-Saxon noblewoman who advocated for tax reduction, no contemporary accounts mention the famous ride.
The story first appeared in the 13th century, about 200 years after her death. The “peeping Tom” element wasn’t added until the 16th century.
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William Tell – Shot an apple off his son’s head
The Swiss hero who shot an apple off his son’s head likely never existed. No contemporary evidence supports the tale, which first appeared in the 15th century, long after its supposed 14th-century setting.
The story combines elements from Norse mythology and Danish folklore. However, the legend powerfully symbolized Swiss resistance against Austrian rule and helped forge Swiss national identity.
Walt Disney – Frozen after death
Contrary to urban legend, Disney wasn’t cryogenically frozen after death. He was cremated, and his ashes rest at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale, California.
The myth began shortly after his 1966 death when the cryonics movement was gaining attention. Additionally, he didn’t personally draw Mickey Mouse in later years – his last animation work was in 1919.
Nero – Fiddled while Rome burned
Rome’s infamous emperor didn’t fiddle while Rome burned. First, the fiddle hadn’t been invented yet – if he played anything during the Great Fire of 64 CE, it would have been the lyre.
Second, contemporary accounts place him at Antium when the fire began. Upon hearing news of the fire, he rushed back to Rome and organized relief efforts, opening his palaces to shelter displaced citizens.
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Edgar Allan Poe – Wrote under the influence
The master of macabre didn’t write under the influence of drugs or alcohol. While he struggled with drinking at times, Poe wrote his most famous works sober.
His death wasn’t caused by drugs or alcohol either, though the exact cause remains unknown. The rumors about his substance abuse were largely spread by his literary executor, Rufus Griswold, who harbored a personal grudge against him.
Benjamin Franklin – Wanted turkey as national bird
The founding father never proposed the turkey as America’s national bird. He only mentioned the turkey in a private letter to his daughter, criticizing the bald eagle’s design on the Great Seal of the United States.
Franklin noted that the turkey was “a much more respectable Bird” in terms of character but never formally suggested it as a national symbol.
Marco Polo – Brought pasta to Italy
The famous explorer didn’t bring pasta to Italy from China. Pasta was already well-established in Italy and other Mediterranean areas long before his travels.
Romans ate a similar food called “lagana,” and Arabs introduced dried pasta to Sicily in the 12th century. While Polo described Chinese dumplings in his travels, he didn’t introduce noodles to Europe.
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Richard III – The hunchback villain
Shakespeare’s portrayal of the last Plantagenet king as a hunchbacked villain shaped public perception for centuries. While Richard III had scoliosis, discovered when his remains were found in 2012, it wasn’t as severe as traditionally depicted.
Many crimes attributed to him, including the murder of the Princes in the Tower, lack conclusive historical evidence. His reputation suffered from Tudor propaganda after his death at Bosworth Field.
The Power of Historical Truth
Separating fact from fiction reveals historical figures as complex individuals shaped by their times and circumstances. These corrections don’t diminish their historical significance – often, the true stories prove more fascinating than the myths.
Understanding history accurately helps us better appreciate both human achievement and human nature. As new research methods and discoveries emerge, we continue to uncover the real stories behind these legendary figures.
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