Marriage contract no. 153: Sachsen-Weimar - Württemberg

Contract content

Article 1: Marriage agreed, wedding date and consummation set for 5 May 1583

Article 2: Transfer of the bride regulated

Article 3: Dowry or marriage settlement set at 32,000 guilders, bride’s trousseau regulated in accordance with the customs of the House of Württemberg, payment of dowry or marriage settlement regulated

Article 4: Sophia’s renunciation of inheritance regulated, except in the event that the House of Württemberg dies out in the male line

Article 5: Donatio propter nuptias set at 32,000 guilders, interest on donatio propter nuptias and donatio propter nuptias regulated for the maintenance of the spouses in accordance with their rank

Article 6: Investment of the financial assets contributed by both spouses in specified properties of Friedrich Wilhelm, designation of these properties as widow’s dower

Articles 7-8: Regulations concerning the widow’s dower: interest income and rights of use on Friedrich Wilhelm’s property designated in Article 6 regulated

Article 9: Obligation of all officials appointed by Friedrich Wilhelm and his successors to respect the widow’s contractually established rights

Article 10: Obligation of subjects on the properties designated in Article 6 to be loyal to the widow

Article 11: Sophia’s attendance regulated by the local knighthood and nobility

Article 12: Sophia not liable for debts that may encumber the widow’s property

Article 13: Appointment of Lutheran clergy to the church estates and parishes of the widow’s estates regulated

Article 14: Descendants of Frederick William may recruit knights and soldiers on the widow’s estates

Article 15: Sophia is obliged to uphold the rights and freedoms of the subjects on the widow’s estates

Article 16: Frederick William and his descendants retain certain rights and tax revenues on the widow’s estates

Article 17: Compensation for Sophia is regulated in the event that damage to the widow’s estates is caused through the fault of Frederick William’s heirs and descendants

Article 18: Protection of the rights of the widow, the widow’s estates and the dowry specified in Article 37 is guaranteed by Friedrich Wilhelm’s heirs and descendants

Article 19: Sophia is prohibited from placing her widow’s estates under the protection of foreign powers or opening the widow’s estates to them without the consent of Friedrich Wilhelm or his descendants

Article 20: Sophia is obliged to maintain the castles and fortifications on the widow’s estates

Article 21: if the widow’s estates do not yield the specified annual maintenance sum, compensation shall be paid from other estates

Articles 22-24: Regulation of the care and upbringing of minor children from the marriage in the event of Friedrich Wilhelm’s premature death, regulation of the transfer of Sophia’s movable property to her widow’s residence

Article 25: If the widow’s residence is not sufficiently stocked and equipped, Friedrich Wilhelm’s descendants must ensure that these deficiencies are remedied

Article 26: Structural maintenance of the widow’s residence by Friedrich Wilhelm and his descendants is regulated.

Article 27: Redemption of the widow’s dower in the event of Sophia’s remarriage is regulated.

Article 28: Inheritance of the widow’s property by the heirs of the marriage or next of kin is regulated.

Article 29: Sophia’s annual pecuniary maintenance remains in place even in the event of her remarriage

Article 30: Inheritance of the dowry by Sophia’s children from her marriage to Friedrich Wilhelm and any second marriage after his death regulated

Article 31: Reversion of the dowry in the event of a childless marriage regulated

Article 32: Inheritance of Sophia’s movable property is regulated

Article 33: Liability of the widow’s estate until the dowry reverts is regulated, including the temporary obligation of the local subjects to the Dukes of Württemberg

Article 34: Reversion of the widow’s estate in the event of Sophia’s premature childless death is regulated

Article 35: Heirs and descendants of Frederick William are liable for any debts incurred by Sophia during the marriage

Article 36: Liability for debts incurred by Sophia during her widowhood regulated

Article 37: Amount, interest and investment of the morning gift on Frederick William’s estates regulated

Articles 38-39: Reversion and redemption of the morning gift in the event of Sophia’s childless death

Article 40: Provision for the event that one of the spouses dies between consummation of the marriage and payment of the dowry or marriage money

Article 41: If one of the spouses dies before consummation of the marriage, the contract is void

Article 42: Compliance by the bride and groom’s representatives is guaranteed

Article 43: Elector August undertakes to contribute to the life estate and morning gift

Article 44: Frederick William’s assurance to comply with the contract and to provide for the dower and morning gift

Regulations on succession to the throne

Confessional regulations

Article 13: Appointment of Lutheran clergy to church estates and parishes belonging to widow estates regulated

Regulations on inheritance law

Article 4: Sophia’s renunciation of inheritance is regulated, except in the event that the House of Württemberg dies out in the male line

Article 28: Inheritance of widow’s property by legitimate heirs from the marriage or closest relatives regulated

Article 30: Inheritance of dowry by Sophia’s children from her marriage to Frederick William and any second marriage after his death regulated

Article 32: Inheritance of Sophia’s movable property regulated

Commentary

The contract itself is not divided into articles.

Literature

Knöfel 2009, pp. 293 f.

References

• Print reference: Lünig, Reichsarchiv, Bd. VIII, [i] S. 381-386
• Contract language print: German

Recommended citation

Dynastische Eheverträge der frühen Neuzeit. Contract No. 153. Philipps University of Marburg. Available online at https://dynastische-ehevertraege.online.uni-marburg.de/en/vertraege/153.html.

@misc{ Dynastische Ehevertr{“a}ge der fr{”u}hen Neuzeit, 
title = {Dynastische Ehevertr{“a}ge der fr{”u}hen Neuzeit: Contract No. 153},
 url = {https://dynastische-ehevertraege.online.uni-marburg.de/en/vertraege/153.html}
}