Picture a medieval noblewoman, keys jingling at her waist as she oversees her household. These weren’t just accessories—they were emblems of trust and duty. Yet alongside this imagery exists a darker legend: the chastity belt, a device supposedly used to enforce fidelity. How do these two versions of medieval life coexist?
The chastity belt’s historical accuracy is shaky at best. While the concept aligns with patriarchal structures of the time, surviving examples are either satirical or post-medieval. Practical concerns debunk the myth: medieval people understood the dangers of unhygienic conditions, and a metal garment worn for months would have been a death sentence.
Keys, however, were undeniably powerful. Women managed estates, guarded food supplies, and negotiated with neighbors—all symbolized by the keys they carried. Meanwhile, knights and merchants used locks to protect wealth and secrets. The chastity belt narrative, whether factual or fabricated, speaks to enduring fascination with control, but the real story of medieval keys reveals a world where women often held significant, if overlooked, authority.
