What armored automaton did Leonardo da Vinci design around 1495?

Leonardo da Vinci designed a mechanical knight around 1495.

The humanoid machine was planned for a festival celebrating the marriage of Ludovico Sforza, Duke of Milan. Leonardo’s drawings show an armored figure operated by an internal system of pulleys, cables, and gears. The mechanism could reportedly make human-like movements, including sitting, standing, and moving its arms.

The machine is often called Leonardo’s robot, although “robot” is a modern term coined centuries later. The original device was lost, and its exact capabilities remain uncertain. In the 20th century, engineers studied Leonardo’s notes and built reconstructions, including one displayed in Milan. The mechanical knight should not be confused with Leonardo’s separate mechanical lion, another animal-shaped automaton project.