Leonardo da Vinci’s armored fighting vehicle is commonly called Leonardo’s tank. He designed it in the 1480s as a covered, conical vehicle with sloping armor, multiple cannon openings, and wheels driven by an internal system of gears and cranks.
The vehicle’s shell was intended to protect its crew while allowing weapons to fire in several directions. Its conical shape may have helped deflect incoming projectiles. Leonardo’s drawing is often described as an early tank concept because it combines armor, mobility, and mounted weapons in one machine.
The design was not built for Renaissance warfare, and it had serious practical problems. The proposed gearing would make the wheels turn in conflicting directions unless altered, and human crews could not easily propel such a heavy structure over uneven ground. Some accounts say Leonardo deliberately included a flaw so the machine could not be used by others, but that explanation is not proven. The safest description is a preserved armored-vehicle design, not a deployed tank.