Etymology

From Middle High German tartsche, from Old French targe, from Old Norse targa, from Proto-Germanic *targǭ. Compare cognate Old High German zarga, whence modern Zarge ‎(“frame”), Old English targe, whereas Middle Low German tartze, tartzge and Middle Dutch tarche, tartse are also borrowings from Old French. In medieval use of infantry shields, by the 16th century also of equestrian shields; in the later 16th century becomes part of the technical vocabulary of jousting equipment (hence Stechtartsche, Gittertartsche, etc.).