Melees
Melees refer to close-quarters combat in which participants engage at short range using hand-held weapons or bare hands. The term, derived from the French mêlée, originally described a mixed, crowded engagement within a battlefield.
In military history, a melee denotes the portion of battle fought at close quarters, often under armored
In contemporary usage, melees also describe chaotic exchanges among multiple combatants, not just a single duelist.
Melee weapons include swords, axes, maces, clubs, daggers, spears, and polearms, as well as improvised weapons.
Today, the concept appears in history books, reenactment communities, martial arts curricula, and digital games. While