Marriage contract no. 107: Hessen-Kassel - Nassau-Dillenburg

  • Date of contract conclusion: 21. Mai 1603
  • Place of contract conclusion: s. l.

Groom

  • Name: Moritz von Hessen-Kassel
  • GND: 11858412X
  • Year of Birth: 1572
  • Year of Death: 1632
  • Dynasty: Hessen (Kassel)
  • Confession: lutherisch

Bride

  • Name: Juliane von Nassau-Dillenburg
  • GND: 119163861
  • Year of Birth: 1587
  • Year of Death: 1643
  • Dynasty: Nassau-Siegen
  • Confession: reformiert

Actors of the Groom

  • Name: Moritz von Hessen-Kassel
  • GND: 11858412X
  • Dynasty: Hessen-Kassel
  • Relationship: /

Actors of the Bride

  • Name: Johann VI. von Nassau-Dillenburg
  • GND: 119521296
  • Dynasty: Nassau-Dillenburg
  • Relationship: Großvater
  • Name: Johann VII. von Nassau-Siegen
  • GND: 118738070
  • Dynasty: Nassau-Siegen
  • Relationship: Vater

Contract content

[Pre] – In the name of the Holy Trinity, to praise and honor God, to increase good friendship, with the consent of the bride: Marriage agreement and contract concluded (3)

[1] – Marriage vows exchanged: for the bride, by the groom (3)

[2] – Dowry determined, trousseau arranged: payment arranged, in return for the bride’s renunciation of inheritance rights with the consent of the groom to the inheritance of her father, mother, brother, and sister, the bride’s inheritance rights reserved in the event of the extinction of the male line of the House of Nassau (3)

[3] – Widow’s property settled, widow’s income determined: in return for dowry payment, rights of use settled (3)

[4-5] – Widow’s property regulated: left to the bride’s choice, swearing-in and legal status of officials and subjects regulated (3-4)

[6] – Widow’s property regulated: secular and ecclesiastical rights of sovereignty, jurisdiction and church visitation reserved, opening and compensation regulated (4)

[7] – Widow’s property regulated: protection guaranteed by the Landgrave of Hesse (4)

[8] – Widow’s property regulated: opening and sale to third parties, alliances with third parties prohibited, use and preservation of wood regulated (4)

[9] – Widow’s property regulated: compensation for loss of income regulated (4)

[10] – After death of groom: guardianship of minor children regulated in accordance with Hessian domestic law, receipt of widow’s property regulated, personal possessions of bride as widow regulated, trousseau and condition of widow’s residence regulated (4-5)

[11] – in the case of the bride’s second marriage: redemption of widow’s property, payment of dowry and lifelong interest on the dowry regulated, if applicable, inheritance of dowry and estate of the bride to children from first and second marriages regulated (5)

[12] – in the event of the death of the bride without children: reversion of dowry and widow’s property, inheritance of estate regulated (5)

[13] – after the death of the bride without children: lifelong use of the dowry by the groom, thereafter reversion of the dowry regulated (5)

[14] – Silver tableware as a wedding gift regulated: as the property of the surviving spouse (5)

[15] – Liability for debts of the bride regulated (5-6)

[16] – Morning gift specified: interest, use, inheritance and redemption regulated (6)

[17] – In the event of the death of the bride or groom after the wedding but before the dowry has been paid: validity of the marriage contract agreed – in the event of the death of the bride or groom before the wedding: nullity of the marriage contract agreed (6)

[Esch] – Compliance promised (6)

Regulations on inheritance law

Dowry determined, trousseau regulated: payment regulated in return for the bride’s renunciation of inheritance rights with the consent of the groom to the inheritance of her father, mother, brothers and sisters, the bride’s inheritance rights reserved in the event of the extinction of the Nassau family in the male line - 2

in the event of the bride’s second marriage: if applicable, inheritance of the bride’s dowry and estate by children from first and second marriages regulated – 11

in the event of the bride’s death without children: reversion of dowry and widow’s property, inheritance of estate regulated – 12

morning gift determined: interest, use, inheritance and redemption regulated – 16

Commentary

Before the marriage, the groom was already inclined towards the Reformed faith, but his official conversion did not take place until 5 July 1605

Literature

Lemberg, Margret: Frauen um Landgraf Moritz. Wirkungsmöglichkeiten einer Fürstin im 17. Jahrhundert, S. 173–195

Lemberg, Margret: Glaube und Liebe. Fürstliche Eheschließungen als Mittel der Konfessionalisierung – Hessen-Kassel um 1600, in: Pars pro toto: historische Miniaturen zum 75. Geburtstag von Heide Wunder, Neustadt an der Aisch 2014, S. 401–412;

Menk, Gerhard: Die Konfessionspolitik des Landgrafen Moritz, in: MENK, Gerhard (Hg.): Landgraf Moritz der Gelehrte. Ein Kalvinist zwischen Politik und Wissenschaft, Marburg 2000, S. 95–138

References