The First Chastity Belt
This image is taken from “Bellifortis”, a book written by Konrad Kyeser von Eichstätt and published on the 28th august in the year of the Lord 1405. This day is since regarded as the international celebration day of all chastity belt enthusiastics (ok, not really, I just made it up).
The “Bellifortis” deals with the art of war (like bombing your enemies with shit &c.). The book was written in three years while Konrad was banned and lived in the Bohemien forrests, it is dedicated to Emperor Rupprecht. The title refers to fortified watchtowers, and the main focus of the book is the defence of the attacked one. Perhaps the protection of the virtues of the ladies was regarded by Eichstätt as part of defence in warfare.
The picture above is accompanied with the remark:
Est florentinarum hoc bracile dominarum ferreum et durum ab antea sit reseratum.
[This is an iron belt of Florence and closed at the front like this.]
There are some earlier quotes usually considered as alluding to chastity belt, but all of them I came to know are very suspicious (allegorical talk being misinterpreted). So this is the first mentioning of a chastity belt in history.
Please note the “modern” design of the belt: it looks a little bit like a Tollyboy-style-belt, technically spoken. Nevertheless, I doubt wether something like this could be worn a prolongued amount of time.
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1.4.2001
updated 19.8.2001
Jan Thor
www.janthor.com
jan@janthor.de