What was Leonardo da Vinci’s moving war machine commonly called?

Leonardo da Vinci’s moving war machine is commonly called Leonardo’s tank.

Leonardo sketched the armored vehicle in the late fifteenth century, probably while seeking employment from Ludovico Sforza, the ruler of Milan. The design had a conical, turtle-like cover made from wooden plates reinforced with metal. It was intended to protect soldiers while several people inside turned cranks to drive the wheels.

The vehicle also included openings for guns around its sides, making it resemble a mobile armored platform. A practical problem in the original drawing is that the gearing appears to make the wheels turn in opposite directions. Some historians think this may have been deliberate to prevent the design from being copied, while others regard it as an error.

Leonardo’s vehicle was never built for Renaissance warfare. Its modern nickname reflects its appearance and function, not the later twentieth-century origin of the tank.