In modern European history, who was popularly nicknamed the "Little Corporal" for early military career before rising to great power?

Introduction / Context:
Many historical leaders acquire descriptive nicknames that express how people saw their personality, appearance or career. The term "Little Corporal" is an example from European history and is especially relevant while studying the life of Napoleon Bonaparte. This question checks whether the learner can connect that famous nickname with the correct personality.

Given Data / Assumptions:
- The nickname in focus is "Little Corporal".
- The options include political and military leaders from Europe and one unrelated description.
- The learner is expected to know basic modern European history and famous rulers.
- We assume the question refers to the standard usage of this phrase in biographical texts.

Concept / Approach:
The concept is to match "Little Corporal" with Napoleon Bonaparte, the French military leader who rose from relatively modest beginnings to become Emperor of the French. The nickname reflects his early rank and comparatively small physical stature, combined with enormous ambition and ability. By contrast, Adolf Hitler was a later German dictator, William E. Gladstone was a British statesman and the fourth option is clearly vague and does not identify a person.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall the key European leaders who might be linked with the term "Little Corporal". Step 2: Identify Napoleon Bonaparte as the French officer who first came into fame as an artillery commander and later crowned himself Emperor. Step 3: Remember that early in his career he was addressed as a small but daring corporal or officer in several accounts. Step 4: Compare this with Adolf Hitler and Gladstone, who never had such a widely used nickname. Step 5: Conclude that Napoleon Bonaparte is the correct answer.

Verification / Alternative check:
As a check, students may think of artistic representations and stories, where Napoleon is often shown as relatively short in height, standing with soldiers as a brave officer. Many history books and exam guides explicitly state that he was called the "Little Corporal". Hitler, though also a powerful leader, is never labelled with this phrase in mainstream texts, and Gladstone is associated with British parliamentary reforms rather than early military ranks. This cross comparison confirms the choice of Napoleon.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Adolf Hitler was the leader of Nazi Germany in the twentieth century, and though he had served in the army, his common nicknames are entirely different and often negative, not "Little Corporal".
William E. Gladstone was a British Prime Minister known for liberal reforms and parliamentary debates, not for a career starting as a corporal in the French army.
The description "a noted classical musician" does not point to any specific historical person, and no such musician is typically known by this nickname in standard GK material.
Hence none of these alternatives match the famous label from the question.

Common Pitfalls:
A common mistake is to confuse Hitler and Napoleon, since both attempted territorial expansion in Europe. Students may think any dramatic nickname applies to either one indiscriminately. Another error is ignoring the time period and country, and guessing blindly. To avoid this, learners should connect each unique phrase with one person only and revise a short list of such nickname personality pairs for exams.

Final Answer:
Napoleon Bonaparte