Marriage contract no. 20: Braunschweig-Lüneburg-Harburg - Braunschweig-Lüneburg-Wolfenbüttel

Contract content

Article 1: Marriage decided, advice of Philipp Sigismund (Bishop of Verden and Osnabrück, brother of the bride) and Wilhelm August and Johann (brothers of the groom) mentioned

Article 2: Augsburg Confession mentioned, office mentioned

Article 3: Consummation of marriage regulated, arrangement by Duke Friedrich Ulrich regulated

Article 4: The dowry amounts to 20,000 guilders and 21 silver groschen, payment terms regulated: 1.5 years after consummation of the marriage, receipt required, investment of the dowry in Mörsburg regulated

Article 5: Renunciation of inheritance by the bride to all paternal and maternal inheritance regulated, the bride receives a share of the inheritance if all male heirs of the house predecease her; sealing by the groom regulated, letter of renunciation regulated

Article 6: The donatio propter nuptias amounts to 20,000 guilders

Article 7: The morning gift amounts to 300 talers and 24 silver groschen per year, payment arrangements mentioned

Article 8: House and office of Mörsburg, etc. as widow’s estate with all appurtenances, rights of use, high and low courts, wood rights, mill rights, fishing rights, etc. regulated; mention of hereditary homage; award of knightly fiefs and ? excluded; mention of dower; rights of use and enjoyment regulated; necessary game awarded?; regulations concerning the subjects of the widow’s estates; financing regulated?; fines, penalties, etc. of subjects contrary to equity prohibited; regulations concerning the appointment of new officials

Article 9: If the widow’s property is confiscated or destroyed or does not yield the stipulated annual sum: replacement of the princely seat regulated; provision for the bride also regulated by the groom’s heirs and descendants in other ways.

Article 10: If the widow’s property is damaged, alienated or altered during the widowhood period: The groom’s heirs shall provide the bride with wood and other materials if the dowry cannot provide them; provision of appropriate assistance regulated.

Article 11: Protection of the bride, the dowry and the morning gift during the widowhood period by the groom’s brothers and heirs regulated.

Article 12: Inspection of the widow’s property by the councillors of Duke Frederick Ulrich of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel; in the event of defects in the widow’s property: improvement by the groom, the groom’s brothers or the groom’s heirs

Article 13: If the bride dies before the groom and without issue from the marriage: the groom receives the dowry; the bride’s nephew receives an inventory list of the dowry, gifts and possessions of the bride, which is to be handed over when she is taken home; Reversion of the dowry after the death of the groom is regulated, repayment of 10,000 guilders to the bride’s nephew or his heirs is regulated, payment arrangements are specified; if there are no heirs of the bride’s nephew: inheritance of 10,000 guilders to the bride’s next of kin, the other 10,000 guilders go to the groom’s brothers, after the death of the groom’s brothers: reversion of the 10,000 guilders stipulated; until the sums have been repaid and the dowry returned: the bride’s nephew or his heirs receive the right of use of the dower

Article 14: If the groom dies before the bride and there are joint heirs or not: The bride receives the dowry, the donatio propter nuptias and the morning gift either at the Harburg house, which was occupied as a widow’s estate by the widow of Duke Christoph, or at her dower “Schloss Mörsburg”; commencement of the widow’s estate regulated; dower letter mentioned; bride’s lifelong right of use regulated; Receipt of trousseau, gifts and the bride’s own property on the widow’s property regulated

Article 15: The widow’s property may not be encumbered with debts by the bride

Article 16: Transfer of the dower regulated by appropriate compensation

Article 17: All items found on the widow’s estate upon moving in must remain there, even in the event of transfer of the dower or death of the bride; inventory list mentioned.

Article 18: Transfer of the prescription and approval of dower, widow’s estate and morning gift to Duke Christian of Brunswick-Lüneburg after consummation of the marriage regulated.

Article 19: Two copies of the contract are to be made, to be handed over to the groom’s brothers and the bride’s nephew.

Article 20: Witnesses named? Signatures of the parties involved.

Regulations on inheritance law

Article 5: The bride’s renunciation of all paternal and maternal inheritance is regulated; the bride receives a share of the inheritance if all male heirs of the house predecease her; Sealing of the groom is regulated, letter of renunciation is regulated.

Article 13: If the bride dies before the groom and without biological heirs from the marriage: The groom receives the dowry; the bride’s nephew receives an inventory list of the dowry, gifts and possessions of the bride, which is to be handed over when she is taken home; Reversion of the dowry after the death of the groom regulated, repayment of 10,000 guilders to the bride’s nephew or his heirs regulated, payment arrangements specified; if there are no heirs of the bride’s nephew: inheritance of 10,000 guilders to the bride’s next of kin, the other 10,000 guilders go to the groom’s brothers, after the death of the groom’s brothers: reversion of the 10,000 guilders stipulated; until the sums have been repaid and the dowry returned: the bride’s nephew or his heirs receive the right of use of the dower

Article 14: If the groom dies before the bride and there are joint heirs or not: The bride receives the dowry, the donatio propter nuptias and the morning gift either at the Harburg house, which was occupied as a widow’s estate by the widow of Duke Christoph, or at her dower “Schloss Mörsburg”; commencement of the widow’s estate regulated; Leibgedingebrief mentioned; bride’s lifelong right of use regulated; Receipt of trousseau, gifts and the bride’s own property on the widow’s estates regulated

External authorities involved

Article 1: Marriage decided, Council of Lord Philipp Sigismund (Bishop of Verden and Osnabrück, brother of the bride) and Wilhelm August and Johann (brothers of the groom) mentioned

Article 18: Transfer of the prescription and approval of dower, widow’s dower and morning gift to Duke Christian of Brunswick-Lüneburg after consummation of the marriage regulated

Article 19: Two copies of the contract regulated, transfer to the groom’s brothers and the bride’s nephew regulated

Article 20: Witnesses named?

Commentary

Original contract not divided into articles Lower part of the contract illegible due to folding and attached seals

References

• Archive copy: Hannover HStA NLA Ha Celle Or. 1 Nr. 142 (1620 IX 20) Celle Or. 1 Nr. 142
• Contract language archive copy: German

Recommended citation

Dynastische Eheverträge der frühen Neuzeit. Contract No. 20. Philipps University of Marburg. Available online at https://dynastische-ehevertraege.online.uni-marburg.de/en/vertraege/20.html.

@misc{ Dynastische Ehevertr{“a}ge der fr{”u}hen Neuzeit, 
title = {Dynastische Ehevertr{“a}ge der fr{”u}hen Neuzeit: Contract No. 20},
 url = {https://dynastische-ehevertraege.online.uni-marburg.de/en/vertraege/20.html}
}