Marriage contract no. 18: Dänemark - Sachsen

Contract content

[Pre]– To the praise and glory of God, for the strengthening and welfare of both kingdoms: Marriage agreed upon

1 – Consent given for bride, marriage agreed upon: Date reserved for consummation

2 – Dowry determined, trousseau arranged

3 – Morning gift determined

4 – Widow’s estate determined: as widow’s residence, with widow’s income for widow’s maintenance, rights of use regulated

5 – Salary, appointment of servants, instruction of subjects on widow’s estate regulated

6 – Bride’s rights of use on widow’s estate regulated: rights of lordship reserved

7 – Appointment of church and school servants on widow’s estates regulated: only Lutheran pastors appointed

8 – Inspection of widow’s estates before consummation of marriage regulated

9 – Inspection of widow’s estates regulated: right of rectification reserved

10 – In case of poor condition of widow’s estates: rectification regulated

11 – Royal protection of brides on widow estates, deed of prescription regulated

12 – After moving into widow estates: legal status of subjects regulated

13 – Opening of widow estates to third parties, transfer to, alliance with third parties prohibited

14 – Alienation, encumbrance of widow’s estates prohibited, preservation regulated

15 – Renunciation of inheritance by bride regulated: together with groom, except in the event of extinction of the House of Saxony

16-17 – After death of bride without children: lifelong use of dowry by groom, subsequent reversion, repayment regulated

18 – After death of bride without children: lifelong use of bride’s trousseau by groom, reversion regulated

19 – After death of bride’s children without heirs: use and reversion of dowry and trousseau regulated as above

20 – Inheritance of dowry and trousseau by children regulated

21 – after the death of the groom: receipt, use of widow’s property, widow’s maintenance regulated

22 – after the death of the groom: maintenance of the bride until receipt of widow’s property, furnishing of widow’s residence regulated

23 – after the death of the groom: transfer of movable property, clothing, jewellery to the bride regulated

24 – in the event of the bride’s second marriage: redemption of widow’s property, payment of dowry, interest on donatio propter nuptias and morning gift regulated

25 – inheritance of dowry and estate of the bride to children from first and second marriages regulated

26 – after payment of dowry: transfer of widow’s property regulated

27 – After death of groom without children: widow’s maintenance regulated, after death of bride, reversion of dowry, donatio propter nuptias regulated

28 – Bride’s liability for groom’s debts, further claims by bride against groom’s family excluded

29 – Noble duties towards bride on widow’s property regulated

30 – Succession to the throne by sons regulated: at Saxony’s request, as is customary in Denmark

31 – After death of spouse before marriage: contract void

32 – Compliance promised

Regulations on succession to the throne

Succession to the throne by sons regulated: at Saxony’s request, as is customary in Denmark - 30

Confessional regulations

Appointment of church and school servants on widow’s estates regulated: only Lutheran pastors appointed - 7

Regulations on inheritance law

Renunciation of inheritance by bride regulated: together with groom, except in the event of the extinction of the House of Saxony - 15

Inheritance of dowry and trousseau by children regulated – 20

Inheritance of dowry and estate of the bride by children from first and second marriages regulated – 25

Commentary

cf. Declaration of renunciation of inheritance by the bride, 6 October 1634 (DNT IV, pp. 127–131)

Literature

Essegern 2007 - Essegern 2009, pp. 57 f. - Knöfel 2009, pp. 155-157 - Laursen in DNT IV, pp. 107-115 - Wade 2009, pp. 175 f.

References

• Print reference: DNT IV, pp. 115-127
• Contract language print: German

Recommended citation

Dynastische Eheverträge der frühen Neuzeit. Contract No. 18. Philipps University of Marburg. Available online at https://dynastische-ehevertraege.online.uni-marburg.de/en/vertraege/18.html.

@misc{ Dynastische Ehevertr{“a}ge der fr{”u}hen Neuzeit, 
title = {Dynastische Ehevertr{“a}ge der fr{”u}hen Neuzeit: Contract No. 18},
 url = {https://dynastische-ehevertraege.online.uni-marburg.de/en/vertraege/18.html}
}