What started as a practical wardrobe fix became history's most ridiculous fashion trend - and nearly tore European society apart. When 15th-century doublets got shorter and hose got tighter, men needed something to cover the gap. What began as a simple cloth flap evolved into elaborate, jeweled fashion statements that declared wealth, power, and virility.

Kings wore golden codpieces encrusted with gems while nobles competed for the most outrageously oversized versions. This bizarre trend sparked moral panics, influenced politics, and redefined masculinity for over 200 years. From King Henry VIII's armor-plated codpiece to papal attempts to ban them entirely, discover how one piece of clothing became the center of Renaissance culture.

This episode explores the shocking psychology behind this fashion phenomenon, the religious controversies it sparked, and how codpieces influenced everything from military strategy to Shakespeare's plays.