Marriage contract no. 185: Frankreich - Modena

  • Date of contract conclusion: 28. Dezember 1744
  • Place of contract conclusion: Versailles

Groom

  • Name: Ludwig Johann, Herzog von Penthièvre
  • GND: 119465647
  • Year of Birth: 1725
  • Year of Death: 1793
  • Dynasty: Bourbon (Frankreich)
  • Confession: Katholisch

Bride

  • Name: Maria Theresa Felicitas d’Este
  • GND:
  • Year of Birth: 1726
  • Year of Death: 1754
  • Dynasty: Este
  • Confession: Katholisch

Actors of the Groom

  • Name: Marie Victoria Sophie von Noailles
  • GND: 143329952
  • Dynasty: Noailles
  • Relationship: Mutter

Actors of the Bride

  • Name: Francesco III. d’Este
  • GND: 118863525
  • Dynasty: Este
  • Relationship: Vater
  • Name: Charlotte von Orléans
  • GND: 136923283
  • Dynasty: Orléans
  • Relationship: Mutter

Contract content

Article 1: Marriage agreed

Article 2: Joint property arranged under Paris law

Article 3: Dissolution of the joint property on the death of Maria Teresa Felicitas without children, liability for debts incurred before marriage excluded

Article 4: Monetary gift (150.000 livres) from King Louis XV of France to Louis Jean: in honouring of belonging to the royal house

Article 5: Rights and property of Louis Jean determined

Article 6: Dowry regulated (300.000 livres), payment modalities determined; in return for the dowry: Maria Teresa Felicitas’ renunciation of inheritance in favour of her brothers (Ercole d’Este and Benedetto Filippo d’Este); exception to these regulations in the event of the extinction of the House of Este in the male line, maternal inheritance reserved

Article 7: Louis Jean’s consent to the renunciation of inheritance regulation before witnesses regulated

Article 8: The spouses’ gains in property and rights obtained by succession or gifts are included in the joint property

Article 9: Dowager´s livelihood regulated as an annual pension, provision for children arranged

Article 10: Free choice of dowager’s residence by Maria Teresa Felicitas; exemption rule determined in the event of the existence of children from the marriage, appropriate furnishings of the dowager’s residence up to a fixed maximum value regulated

Article 11: Payment from community of property for surviving spouse determined

Article 12: Special financial needs of Maria Teresa Felicitas as a dowager and ownership rights to jewellery and jewels regulated

Article 13: On disposal of shared goods from the joint property: equalisation regulated

Article 14: Maria Teresa Felicitas and children from the marriage receive all property that she brought into the marriage or acquired during the marriage upon dissolution of the joint property

Article 15: Dowager’s pension determined: invalid if Maria Teresa Felicitas remarries

Article 16: Hand money Maria Teresa Felicitas determined

Article 17: Determination of Maria Teresa Felicitas’ right to mortgage Louis Jean Marie’s goods; Compliance assured

Regulations on inheritance law

Dowry regulated (300.000 livres), payment modalities determined; in return for the dowry: Maria Teresa Felicitas’ renunciation of inheritance in favour of her brothers (Ercole d’Este and Benedetto Filippo d’Este); exception to these regulations in the event of the extinction of the House of Este in the male line, maternal inheritance reserved

Article 7: Louis Jean’s consent to the renunciation of inheritance regulation before witnesses regulated

Article 8: The spouses’ gains in property and rights obtained by succession or gifts are included in the joint property

Ratifications, confirmations, approvals

Article 7: Louis Jean’s consent to the renunciation of inheritance regulation before witnesses regulated

Commentary

with consent of King Louis XV (preamble) - Louis Alexander of Bourbon, father of groom: legitimized son of King Louis XIV of a Mistress; contract itself is not divided into articles; digital copy can be accessed at the URL given the usage of the shelfmark (TRA17440001). Relevant contract contents in the digital copy on fol. 1-6, 22-26.

References