Marriage contract no. 109: Hessen-Marburg - Mansfeld

  • Date of contract conclusion: 30. Mai 1591
  • Place of contract conclusion: s. l.

Groom

  • Name: Ludwig IV. von Hessen-Marburg
  • GND: 119021854
  • Year of Birth: 1537
  • Year of Death: 1604
  • Dynasty: Zähringer
  • Confession: Lutherisch

Bride

  • Name: Maria von Mansfeld-Hinterort
  • GND: 1074217144
  • Year of Birth: 1567
  • Year of Death: 1625
  • Dynasty:
  • Confession: Lutherisch

Actors of the Groom

  • Name: Ludwig IV. von Hessen-Marburg
  • GND: 119021854
  • Dynasty: Zähringen
  • Relationship: /

Actors of the Bride

  • Name: Margarethe von Braunschweig-Lüneburg-Celle
  • GND: 132020408
  • Dynasty: Welfen
  • Relationship: Mutter
  • Name: Ernst III. von Mansfeld-Hinterort
  • GND: 120979535
  • Dynasty:
  • Relationship: Bruder
  • Name: Friedrich Christoph von Mansfeld-Hinterort
  • GND: 123159962
  • Dynasty:
  • Relationship: Bruder

Contract content

[Pre] – in the name of the Holy Trinity, to praise and honour God, to increase good friendship, with the consent of the bride: marriage agreement reached, contract concluded (1)

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

[2] – Dowry determined: reduced in accordance with Mansfeld domestic law, supplemented by subsequent maintenance payments, payable by the town of Eisleben, trousseau arranged (1-2)

[3] – Bride’s renunciation of inheritance settled: with the groom’s consent, to her father’s inheritance, mother’s inheritance, brother’s inheritance and sister’s inheritance, inheritance claims reserved in the event of the extinction of the Counts of Mansfeld in the male line (2)

[4] – Widow’s property and widow’s income determined: in return for dowry payment, rights of use regulated, swearing-in and legal status of officials regulated (2-3)

[5-6] – Widow’s property regulated: swearing-in and legal status of subjects regulated (3)

[7] – Widow’s property regulated: secular and ecclesiastical rights of sovereignty, jurisdiction and church visitation reserved, opening and compensation regulated (3)

[8] – Widow’s property regulated: use of wood regulated (3)

[9] – Widow’s property regulated: protection guaranteed by the Landgrave of Hesse (3-4)

[10] – Widow’s property regulated: opening and sale to third parties, alliances with third parties prohibited (4)

[11-12] – Widow’s property regulated: preservation and compensation regulated (4)

[13-15] – After the death of the groom: guardianship of minor children regulated in accordance with Hessian domestic law, receipt of widow’s property regulated, personal possessions of the bride as a widow regulated, furnishings and condition of the widow’s residence regulated (4-5)

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

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

[18] – after the death of the bride without children: lifelong use of the dowry by the groom, thereafter reversion of the dowry regulated (5-6)

[19] – Silver tableware as a wedding gift regulated: as property of the surviving spouse (6)

[20-21] – Liability for debts of the bride regulated (6)

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

[23] – 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 (6-7)

[Esch] – Compliance promised (7)

Regulations on inheritance law

Renunciation of inheritance by the bride regulated: with the consent of the groom, reserved for inheritance from father, mother, brother and sister, inheritance claims reserved in the event of the extinction of the male line of the Counts of Mansfeld - 3

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 - 16

in the event of the bride’s death without children: reversion of dowry and widow’s estate, inheritance of estate regulated - 17

morning gift specified: interest, use, inheritance and redemption regulated - 22

Commentary

A different year of death for Maria von Mansfeld-Hinterort has been recorded as 1535.

Literature

References