A type of hammer, especially a war hammer used as a medieval weapon. Also refers to any hammer-like tool or implement.
From Old French martel meaning 'hammer', from Latin martulus, diminutive of marcus meaning 'hammer'. The word is related to the name Mars, god of war, reflecting the weapon's martial associations.
Charles Martel, the 8th-century Frankish ruler who stopped the Muslim advance into Europe at the Battle of Tours, earned his nickname 'The Hammer' - martel in Old French - for his crushing military victories. This connection between the tool and the warrior shows how medieval societies saw warfare through the lens of craftsmanship and practical implements.
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