Why Is a Grenade Named After a Fruit

Why is a hand grenade named after a fruit? The word comes from the French for "pomegranate", but the real story goes back over a thousand years, from Byzantine fire pots to a British soldier's empty jam tin. In this video, we trace the history of the hand grenade: how Chinese gunpowder bombs reached Europe, why the tallest, strongest soldiers became "grenadiers" and wore tall hats, why grenades almost disappeared in the 1700s, and how the trenches of World War I brought them back. 📌 WHAT YOU'LL LEARN - Where the word "grenade" comes from - How elite grenadier regiments kept the name long after the weapon faded - Why soldiers improvised bombs from food tins in 1914 - How the Mills bomb and German stick grenade changed trench warfare If you enjoyed this story, hit like, share it with a friend, and subscribe for more untold stories behind everyday things. #history #grenade #WorldWar1 ⚠️ Copyright Notice • We use images and content in accordance with YouTube’s fair use copyright guidelines. • Section 107 of the U.S. Copyright Act states: “Notwithstanding the provisions of sections 106 and 106A, the fair use of a copyrighted work, including such use by reproduction in copies or phonorecords or by any other means specified by that section, for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching (including multiple copies for classroom use), scholarship, or research, is not an infringement of copyright.” • This video may contain certain video clips, images, or photographs copyrighted by others that were not specifically authorized for use by the copyright holder(s), but which we believe in good faith are protected by federal law and the fair use doctrine for one or more of the reasons outlined above.