Mahometus

Mahometus is a Latin rendering used in medieval European texts to refer to Muhammad, the founder of Islam. The form reflects the Latinization of the Arabic name Muhammad and was used in various scholastic, religious, and polemical writings from the 12th to the 17th centuries.

In Latin literature, the name appeared in diverse genres, including chronicles, travel narratives, hagiography, and polemics against Islam. Multiple spellings circulated, such as Mahomet, Mahometus, and Mahommed, with pronunciation approximating the Arabic name.

Muhammad, born circa 570 CE in Mecca and died 632 CE in Medina, is the Prophet and founder of Islam. Muslims believe he received the Qur'an from the angel Gabriel and that he established a religious community and political framework in the Arabian Peninsula that continued after his death.

Today, the name Muhammad is standard in English and many other languages. Latin renderings such as Mahometus are regarded as archaic, and terms like Mahometan or Mahometanism are considered outdated or pejorative in modern usage. The Latin form remains of interest mainly for historical linguistic studies and the study of medieval Christian writings about Islam.