Marriage contract no. 189: Frankreich - Österreich
- Date of contract conclusion: 14. April 1770
- Place of contract conclusion: Wien
Groom
- Name: Ludwig (XVI.) von Frankreich
- GND: 118574949
- Year of Birth: 1754
- Year of Death: 1793
- Dynasty: Bourbon (Frankreich)
- Confession: katholisch
Bride
- Name: Marie Antoinette von Österreich
- GND: 118577905
- Year of Birth: 1755
- Year of Death: 1793
- Dynasty: Habsburg (Österreich)
- Confession: katholisch
Actors of the Groom
- Name: Ludwig XV., König von Frankreich
- GND: 118729438
- Dynasty: Bourbon (Frankreich)
- Relationship: Großvater
Contract content
Article 1: Marriage at the Viennese court by proxy with papal dispensation
Article 2: Marie Antoinette’s voyage to her husband´s court arranged
Article 3: Dowry fixed at 200.000 Rhenish florins
Articles 4-5: Ownership of, or reversion of dowry regulated: if Marie Antoinette dies and has no adult descendants, except for the amount specified in the will
Article 6: Marie Antoinette’s renunciation of inheritance regulated: except in the absence of better entitled heirs of Francis I Stephen and Maria Theresa
Article 7: Bridal treasures determined (Brautschatz)
Article 8: Bridal gifts determined
Article 9: Dower determined: incl. ducal title, administration of estates by Marie Antoinette, as dowager’s livelihood
Article 10: Marie Antoinette’s sustenance regulated
Article 11: Right to return to Austria as a dowager assured
Article 12: Inheritance of Marie Antoinette’s personal estate: Family jewels excluded
Article 13: Ratification regulated
Separate Article I: Contract language French, but not as a precedent
Separate Article II: Amount of dowries between France and Austria limited, regulated to facilitate future marriages
Regulations on inheritance law
Article 6: Marie Antoinette’s renunciation of inheritance regulated: except in the absence of better entitled heirs of Francis I Stephen and Maria Theresa
Article 12: Inheritance of Marie Antoinette’s personal estate: Family jewels excluded
Ratifications, confirmations, approvals
Article 13: Ratification regulated
Further contracts between contracting parties
Treaty of Vienna 1766.06.24 on the abolition of the right of withdrawal - Treaty of Brussels 1766.09.06 on the extradition of deserters - Treaty of Versailles 1769.05.16 on border issues, port dues, return of confiscated ammunition - Treaty of Brussels 1775.10.14 on regular sinecures
Commentary
Ü - marriage vows mentioned before the contract (preamble); at the time of the marriage, Louis XVI was still Dauphin and not King of France; no digital copy of the contract is available on the Traités et accords de la France website; additional information on the contract at https://basedoc.diplomatie.gouv.fr/exl-php/recherche/mae_internet___traites using the signature (TRA17700001).
References
- Archive copy: AT-OeStA/HHStA, UR FUK 2054a; Traités et accords de la France, TRA17700001
- Contract language archive copy: French
Recommended citation
Dynastische Eheverträge der frühen Neuzeit. Contract No. 189. Philipps University of Marburg. Available online at https://dynastische-ehevertraege.online.uni-marburg.de/en/vertraege/189.html.
@misc{ Dynastische Ehevertr{“a}ge der fr{”u}hen Neuzeit,
title = {Dynastische Ehevertr{“a}ge der fr{”u}hen Neuzeit: Contract No. 189},
url = {https://dynastische-ehevertraege.online.uni-marburg.de/en/vertraege/189.html}
}