Uploaded April 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 hours ago
What was a CODPIECE, why were they so large, why did men wear them and when did this bizarre fashion trend come into vogue and go back out of it? In this men’s fashion history documentary from History Calling, we look at the history of the codpiece, a bizarre looking addition to a man’s outfit which was only in fashion for around 75 years in the 16th century, but which will be remembered forever thanks to the enormous codpiece seen on Henry VIII in a portrait of him by Hans Holbein the Younger, as well as on other prominent European royals during the 1500s. Even children wore codpieces!
Why were codpieces so big though? Were codpieces used to show virility, were they there to protect a man’s special area from bumps and jolts, did codpieces hide syphilis or were they handy pockets to store belongings in? Each idea will be considered in this video as we look at what codpieces tell us about fashion, masculinity, power, and social signalling during the Tudor era in England and beyond.
We’ll look at the evolution of the codpiece from the late 15th century (when they were invented to cover up men’s bit as their tunics became shorter), through to their demise in the later 16th and at what paintings can tell us about why codpieces were used, what codpieces were made from, how they fitted into a man’s wider outfit and what contemporary paintings tell us about the bizarre shape of codpieces. I’ll also explain if codpieces were a sign of social class, their connections to military dress and armour and what codpieces looked like in England, Italy, France, the Netherlands and beyond.
Whether you’re into fashion history, medieval life, Renaissance culture, or just the strangest trends humanity has embraced, this is a story that proves clothing is never just clothing.
👉 If you enjoy deep dives into overlooked (and slightly unhinged) corners of history, like, subscribe and hype the video.
#Codpiece #TudorFashion #FashionHistory
BUY MY BOOK (Find Your Irish Ancestors Online): amzn.to/3Z2ChnG
Join my mailing list (with 2 FREE DOWNLOADS): historycallingofficial.com
Patreon: patreon.com/historycalling
Amazon storefront: amazon.com/shop/historycalling
Instagram: instagram.com/historycalling
YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE:
Fashion and jewellery playlist
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLLSjVq5Qtb0H2taj_rXWmqyI3BoTbQfFn
Princess Charlotte’s wedding dress
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Diana’s Travolta dress
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LEARN MORE:
Will Fisher, ‘“Had it a codpiece, ‘twere a man indeed”: The codpiece as constitutive accessory in early modern English culture’ in Bella Misabella (ed.), Ornamentalism: The Art of Renaissance Accessories (Michigan, 2011), pp 85-101.
Grace Q. Vicary, ‘Visual Art as Social Data: The Renaissance Codpiece’ in Cultural Anthropology, vol. 4, no. 1 (1989), pp. 3-25.
Want to watch/hear/read more about history (and a whole host of other topics)? Then you might benefit from a free Audible or Prime video trial. They are available from the following links:
AUDIBLE
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AUDIBLE PLUS & AUDIBLE PREMIUM PLUS
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PRIME VIDEO
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GEAR USED
Apple MacBook Pro Laptop (for video editing): amzn.to/3S6IoRK
Blue Yeti Microphone: amzn.to/3FgEDYq
Go-Pro Hero 13 camera: amzn.to/41H4Xnt
GoPro 3-Way 2.0 (Tripod/Grip/Arm): amzn.to/3vaVxjU
Memory Card: amzn.to/3KeLZZs
DJI Drone: amzn.to/39hROZm
NB: Links above may be affiliate links. This means if you make a purchase through one of these links, I earn a small commission. It in no way affects the price you pay.
Open Street Map copyright information
openstreetmap.org/copyright
Creative Commons licenses used see creativecommons.org/licenses
Please note that all my audios are read by a real human only (that’s me!) and no AI is used unless otherwise stated.
What was a CODPIECE, why were they so large, why did men wear them and when did this bizarre fashion trend come into vogue and go back out of it? In this men’s fashion history documentary from History Calling, we look at the history of the codpiece, a bizarre looking addition to a man’s outfit which was only in fashion for around 75 years in the 16th century, but which will be remembered forever thanks to the enormous codpiece seen on Henry VIII in a portrait of him by Hans Holbein the Younger, as well as on other prominent European royals during the 1500s. Even children wore codpieces!
Why were codpieces so big though? Were codpieces used to show virility, were they there to protect a man’s special area from bumps and jolts, did codpieces hide syphilis or were they handy pockets to store belongings in? Each idea will be considered in this video as we look at what codpieces tell us about fashion, masculinity, power, and social signalling during the Tudor era in England and beyond.
We’ll look at the evolution of the codpiece from the late 15th century (when they were invented to cover up men’s bit as their tunics became shorter), through to their demise in the later 16th and at what paintings can tell us about why codpieces were used, what codpieces were made from, how they fitted into a man’s wider outfit and what contemporary paintings tell us about the bizarre shape of codpieces. I’ll also explain if codpieces were a sign of social class, their connections to military dress and armour and what codpieces looked like in England, Italy, France, the Netherlands and beyond.
Whether you’re into fashion history, medieval life, Renaissance culture, or just the strangest trends humanity has embraced, this is a story that proves clothing is never just clothing.
👉 If you enjoy deep dives into overlooked (and slightly unhinged) corners of history, like, subscribe and hype the video.
#Codpiece #TudorFashion #FashionHistory
BUY MY BOOK (Find Your Irish Ancestors Online): amzn.to/3Z2ChnG
Join my mailing list (with 2 FREE DOWNLOADS): historycallingofficial.com
Patreon: patreon.com/historycalling
Amazon storefront: amazon.com/shop/historycalling
Instagram: instagram.com/historycalling
YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE:
Fashion and jewellery playlist
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLLSjVq5Qtb0H2taj_rXWmqyI3BoTbQfFn
Princess Charlotte’s wedding dress
youtu.be/j9AyE8fXUrI
Diana’s Travolta dress
youtu.be/sWBDaJz_qY4
LEARN MORE:
Will Fisher, ‘“Had it a codpiece, ‘twere a man indeed”: The codpiece as constitutive accessory in early modern English culture’ in Bella Misabella (ed.), Ornamentalism: The Art of Renaissance Accessories (Michigan, 2011), pp 85-101.
Grace Q. Vicary, ‘Visual Art as Social Data: The Renaissance Codpiece’ in Cultural Anthropology, vol. 4, no. 1 (1989), pp. 3-25.
Want to watch/hear/read more about history (and a whole host of other topics)? Then you might benefit from a free Audible or Prime video trial. They are available from the following links:
AUDIBLE
amzn.to/44MvlMi
AUDIBLE PLUS & AUDIBLE PREMIUM PLUS
amzn.to/42rh3PF
PRIME VIDEO
amzn.to/3LW7ykg
GEAR USED
Apple MacBook Pro Laptop (for video editing): amzn.to/3S6IoRK
Blue Yeti Microphone: amzn.to/3FgEDYq
Go-Pro Hero 13 camera: amzn.to/41H4Xnt
GoPro 3-Way 2.0 (Tripod/Grip/Arm): amzn.to/3vaVxjU
Memory Card: amzn.to/3KeLZZs
DJI Drone: amzn.to/39hROZm
NB: Links above may be affiliate links. This means if you make a purchase through one of these links, I earn a small commission. It in no way affects the price you pay.
Open Street Map copyright information
openstreetmap.org/copyright
Creative Commons licenses used see creativecommons.org/licenses
Please note that all my audios are read by a real human only (that’s me!) and no AI is used unless otherwise stated.
