Marriage contract no. 150: Sachsen-Lauenburg - Schweden

Contract content

Preamble: Names of the parties involved; purpose of the marriage

1 – Proposal of marriage on the initiative of the groom attested; acceptance of the proposal by the bride’s brother; Erik XIV hopes that the marriage will lead to an expanded friendship with Saxe-Lauenburg

2 – Mutual promise of marriage

3 – Setting of the wedding date regulated

4 – Dowry of 100,000 talers; payment regulated

5 – Assurance by the groom to obtain the consent of his brother and relatives regarding the life estate of the bride “and other matters”

6 – The groom’s pledged lands and castles are to be redeemed with the dowry; the redeemed lands and castles shall fall to the bride and groom and their heirs

7 – Payment of the bride price to the mother of Erik XIV, Catherine of Saxe-Lauenburg, settled

8 – Provision of a trousseau befitting the bride’s status guaranteed by her brother; transfer of the bride settled

9 – Waiver of the bride’s inheritance in Sweden; Assurance by the groom to use the dowry to redeem the lands; provision for the bride guaranteed by the groom

10 – Morning gift of 4000 talers; investment in Neuhaus Castle (Neuenhaus); the morning gift is to generate 200 talers annually for the bride; the bride may freely use the sum in accordance with custom

11 – life estate of 5000 talers guaranteed; the office and castle of Ratzeburg and Tremsbüttel (Tremsbuttell) shall serve to generate this income; replacement from the chamber if the dower is insufficient to generate the life estate; Renewed assurance by the groom to obtain the consent of his relatives; rights of the bride to her dower regulated; homage of subjects regulated

12 – Groom dies before bride with or without jointly produced heirs: enjoyment of the Leibgedinge guaranteed for the bride; inventory of the widow’s residence regulated upon commencement of the dower; guarantee of appropriate furnishings for the widow’s residence by the groom or payment of money to the bride for furnishing the widow’s residence; if the bride has had children with the groom and remains in the country, she is entitled to the life estate and half of the dowry in widowhood; if she has not had children and remains in the country, she is entitled to the life estate and the entire dowry; if she remarries, leaves the country, and has not had any children, she is entitled to her dowry, the full 100,000 talers, and the transfer of her property; if there are children conceived together, they receive half of the dowry and, after the bride’s death, her trousseau as well

13 – According to custom in the principality, sons born to the couple have a right to succession; daughters born to the couple have a right to a trousseau, jewelry, clothing and maintenance.

14 – If the bride dies without having produced any heirs, the entire dowry or the lands and castles purchased with it, as well as the bride’s possessions, shall fall to the Crown of Sweden. Lifetime right of use of the dowry by the groom

15 – Promise by the groom to uphold all points in the contract; reconfirmation of the promise by the brother and father

16 – Mutual promise to abide by the above; preparation of the document in two copies; date; signature

Regulations on succession to the throne

13 – According to custom in the principality, sons born to the couple have a right to succession; daughters born to the couple have a right to a trousseau, jewelry, clothing and maintenance.

Regulations on inheritance law

9 – Waiver of the bride’s inheritance in Sweden; Assurance by the groom to use the dowry to redeem the lands; provision for the bride guaranteed by the groom

12 – Groom dies before bride with or without jointly produced heirs: enjoyment of the Leibgedinge guaranteed for the bride; inventory of the widow’s residence regulated upon commencement of the dower; guarantee of appropriate furnishings for the widow’s residence by the groom or payment of money to the bride for furnishing the widow’s residence; if the bride has had children with the groom and remains in the country, she is entitled to the life estate and half of the dowry in widowhood; if she has not had children and remains in the country, she is entitled to the life estate and the entire dowry; if she remarries, leaves the country, and has not had any children, she is entitled to her dowry, the full 100,000 talers, and the transfer of her property; if there are children conceived together, they receive half of the dowry and, after the bride’s death, her trousseau as well

14 – If the bride dies without having produced any heirs, the entire dowry or the lands and castles purchased with it, as well as the bride’s possessions, shall fall to the Crown of Sweden. Lifetime right of use of the dowry by the groom

Ratifications, confirmations, approvals

16 – Mutual promise to abide by the above; preparation of the document in two copies; date; signature

Commentary

The original contract is not divided into articles

References

• Archive copy: SE/RA/25.1/7/A (1568)
• Contract language archive copy: German
• Digitized archive copy: https://sok.riksarkivet.se/bildvisning/R0001250_00002#?xywh=-1055%2C89%2C11567%2C6112&cv=1

Recommended citation

Dynastische Eheverträge der frühen Neuzeit. Contract No. 150. Philipps University of Marburg. Available online at https://dynastische-ehevertraege.online.uni-marburg.de/en/vertraege/150.html.

@misc{ Dynastische Ehevertr{“a}ge der fr{”u}hen Neuzeit, 
title = {Dynastische Ehevertr{“a}ge der fr{”u}hen Neuzeit: Contract No. 150},
 url = {https://dynastische-ehevertraege.online.uni-marburg.de/en/vertraege/150.html}
}