Marriage contract no. 156: Dänemark - Mecklenburg-Schwerin

Contract content

Preamble: Naming of the actors; marriage for friendship between the houses; consent of the stepmother of the bride’s brother; naming of the marriage partners

1 – Mutual marriage vows

2 – Dowry of 15,000 Reichstalers; payment regulated; renunciation of inheritance by the bride; although knights and the Landschaft are only obliged to pay a “princess tax” when the daughter of a ruling sovereign marries, it is nevertheless hoped that a “don gratuit” will be given voluntarily; bride’s trousseau regulated

3 – morning gift of 10,000 Reichstalers; Interest of 5% should yield an annual income of 500 Reichstalers

4 – Hand money and Spielgeld of 1500 guilders for the bride; the bride receives an additional 4000 Reichstalers for clothing and other necessities; bride’s court settled

5 – Bride dies before groom: Life estate of 30,500 Reichstalers + morning gift to be paid to the bride quarterly;

6 – if children were born from the marriage, the heirs of the deceased groom shall pay the widow 2,000 Reichstalers for each prince and 1,000 Reichstalers for each princess annually until they reach the age of six for their upbringing; After the age of six, maintenance is determined by the heirs without the involvement of the bride.

7 – Jægerspris Castle (?) is designated as the widow’s residence; takeover of the castle upon commencement of the widow’s dower is regulated; 1,000 Reichstaler annually for the maintenance of the buildings for the bride; equivalent compensation if the castle is uninhabitable.

8 – Regulations regarding the widow’s dower if the widow leaves the groom’s lands: the widow will only receive the life estate of the late Queen Louise, daughter of Gustav Adolf of Mecklenburg, amounting to 10,000 Reichstaler; the inventory of the castle must be brought up to the status of the handover; the prince’s heirs may keep the widow’s children at court

9 – Remarriage of the bride regulated: end of the life estate; return of the widow’s residence and the bride’s property regulated

10 – Regulations regarding debts of the bride and groom

11 – Inheritance of dowry and other property of the bride regulated: inheritance by existing children; if the bride dies without children before the groom: reversion of the bride’s property brought into the marriage; lifelong right of use of the dowry by the groom

12 – If one of the marriage partners dies after consummation of the marriage but before payment of the monetary benefits, the contract shall nevertheless be executed; if one of the marriage partners dies before consummation of the marriage, the contract shall be void

13 – Confirmation of signatures and seals; execution of the contract in two copies; place; date; signatures

Regulations on inheritance law

2 – Dowry of 15,000 Reichstalers; payment regulated; renunciation of inheritance by the bride; although knights and the Landschaft are only obliged to pay a “princess tax” when the daughter of a ruling sovereign marries, it is nevertheless hoped that a “don gratuit” will be given voluntarily; bride’s trousseau regulated

Estates involved

2 – Dowry of 15,000 Reichstalers; payment regulated; renunciation of inheritance by the bride; although knights and the Landschaft are only obliged to pay a “princess tax” when the daughter of a ruling sovereign marries, it is nevertheless hoped that a “don gratuit” will be given voluntarily; bride’s trousseau regulated

11 – Inheritance of dowry and other property of the bride regulated: inheritance by existing children; if the bride dies without children before the groom: reversion of the bride’s property brought into the marriage; lifelong right of use of the dowry by the groom

Ratifications, confirmations, approvals

13 – Confirmation of signatures and seals; execution of the contract in two copies; place; date; signatures

References

• Archive copy: LHAS, 1.12 – 1/9 Eheschließungen, Sign.: 715 a
• Contract language archive copy: German

Recommended citation

Dynastische Eheverträge der frühen Neuzeit. Contract No. 156. Philipps University of Marburg. Available online at https://dynastische-ehevertraege.online.uni-marburg.de/en/vertraege/156.html.

@misc{ Dynastische Ehevertr{“a}ge der fr{”u}hen Neuzeit, 
title = {Dynastische Ehevertr{“a}ge der fr{”u}hen Neuzeit: Contract No. 156},
 url = {https://dynastische-ehevertraege.online.uni-marburg.de/en/vertraege/156.html}
}