Chastity belt: is it truth or myth?

What is a chastity bet? Did chastity belts really exist? For many people, the chastity belt is synonymous with the Middle Ages. Severe knights, leaving on long Crusades, chained their chosen ones in a chastity belt in order to preserve their innocence or prevent cheating.

“What unbelievable morals! - you think - the poor girl had to live with a chastity belt for many years, and if her husband was killed, then all her life!" But for some reason, not a single record has survived until the 14th century, in which a device similar to a chastity belt was mentioned. Recently, researchers are increasingly confident that the chastity belt gained its popularity at the turn of the 18th century, and its use by husbands is nothing more than a fantasy.

When they talk about a chastity belt, one immediately imagines a metal belt, which was worn on the girl below the waist and fastened in front with a lock, the key to which was with her husband.

But let's imagine what it would be like if you wear such a belt for a week. Firstly, it would complicate intimate hygiene a little. How would you wash if you were wearing a piece of iron below the waist and above the knees? And it is unlikely that chastity belts were made of stainless steel. Over time, the entire belt would be covered with a layer of rust. In this case, the disease of the genitals would be a matter of several days.

Secondly, was it convenient to relieve yourself in such a belt? And thirdly, even if it was not metal was used in the chastity belt, but coarse leather (but in this case it could then be easily cut if desired) with prolonged walking, it would dig into the groin area, which would cause terrible pain. No one in their right mind would subject a loved one to such torment.

Konrad Kyeser's book "Bellifortis", written in 1405, is the oldest source that mentions a device that looks like a chastity belt. Besides the description of crossbows, assault guns, instruments of torture and other attributes of medieval life, Konrad mentioned "metal breeches that girls fastened in the front." It's just the ironic tone in which this text is written makes you wonder if these breeches were not invented by the author himself.

But there were chastity belts: everyone can see them in historical museums. Then what were they used for? It's simple: the girl put them on voluntarily for personal safety. And, of course, she kept the key to her. Most likely, a chastity belt was needed when the army came to the city, or the girl had to go somewhere through a dangerous area.

But the chastity belts became most popular in the 18th century. And they served as protection from ... masturbation. At that time, it was believed that masturbation was a dangerous disease that could lead to stupidity, uncontrolled hair growth on the palms and insanity. Therefore, chastity belts were used by anxious parents to keep their children out of the bad habit.