Marriage contract no. 201: Waldeck - Nassau-Siegen

Contract content

Article 1: Marriage agreed upon, at the earliest possible date, consent of the spouses mentioned

Article 2: Dowry set at 6,000 guilders, payment to the groom within one year of consummation of the marriage, interest on late payments regulated

Article 3: Appropriate provision for the bride by her father or dowry regulated, renunciation of inheritance by the bride regulated, except in the event of the extinction of the male line of the House of Nassau-Siegen, consent of the groom regulated

Article 4: Dowry set at 12,000 guilders, investment in Landau Castle, town, and office, including associated estates, regulated, Elisabeth’s claim to investment income regulated, maintenance of those estates by Count Christian regulated.

Leibgedinge (widow’s pension) set, investment regulated: for widow’s pension, including surplus if applicable.

Article 5: Creation of a list of the assets and income mentioned in Article 4 for Elisabeth stipulated

Article 6: Widow’s pension and widow’s income regulated, reversion of the widow’s estate in the event of Elisabeth’s remarriage stipulated

Article 7: Designation of the castle, town, and office of Landau, together with the associated estates, as widow’s property; regulation of Elisabeth’s rights of use and sovereignty during her widowhood; assurance of Elisabeth’s recognition as the legitimate authority by the local subjects; regulation of the transfer of the widow’s residence to Korbach in case of emergency or war

Article 8: Maintenance and furnishing of Landau Castle during the marriage guaranteed by Count Christian, inventory of the widow’s estate regulated, assurance that Elisabeth will at no time be held liable for her husband’s debts

Article 9: Possibility of joint court with Christian’s heirs regulated

Article 10: If Elisabeth remarries after Christian’s death, his heirs are free to allow her to use the widow’s residence in return for financial compensation; otherwise, Elisabeth is guaranteed appropriate financial compensation.

Article 11: Regulation of the inheritance rights of the children from the marriage to Christian to Elisabeth’s estate in the event of her remarriage and the birth of further children in a second marriage; if there are no children from the marriage to Christian: reversion of the dowry is regulated, Elisabeth’s right to inherit her remaining possessions of money and valuables is regulated, if there is no will: equal division between Waldeck and Nassau-Siegen, Landau Castle and associated estates are designated as security for her heirs in the House of Nassau-Siegen

Article 12: homage of the subjects on the widow’s estates assured, as soon as possible after consummation of the marriage, further regulations regarding the officials on the widow’s estates

Article 13: Morning gift of 1,000 guilders regulated, guaranteed as Elisabeth’s property, redemption by Christian’s heirs regulated, in the event of Elisabeth’s death: reversion to Christian’s heirs if the money has not been used

Article 14: In the event of Christian’s death, redemption of the couple’s joint movable property by Christian’s heirs regulated, in the event of Elisabeth’s death: use, inheritance, or reversion of the dowry regulated; upon the death of Elisabeth’s children: redemption of Elisabeth’s inheritance claims regulated

Article 15: for all cases of doubt: reference to the validity of common law

Article 16: execution of deeds regarding matrimonial property provisions agreed upon

Regulations on inheritance law

Article 3: […] Renunciation of inheritance by the bride, except in the event of the extinction of the male line of the House of Nassau-Siegen […]

Article 11: Regulation of the inheritance rights of the children from the marriage to Christian to Elisabeth’s estate in the event of her remarriage and the birth of further children in a second marriage […]

Article 14: In the event of Christian’s death, settlement of the couple’s joint movable property by Christian’s heirs; in the event of Elisabeth’s death: use, inheritance, or reversion of dowry; in the event of the death of Elisabeth’s children: settlement of Elisabeth’s inheritance claims

Commentary

The contract itself is not divided into articles.

References

• Print reference: Lünig, Reichsarchiv, Bd. XXIII, S. 1436-1441
• Contract language print: German

Recommended citation

Dynastische Eheverträge der frühen Neuzeit. Contract No. 201. Philipps University of Marburg. Available online at https://dynastische-ehevertraege.online.uni-marburg.de/en/vertraege/201.html.

@misc{ Dynastische Ehevertr{“a}ge der fr{”u}hen Neuzeit, 
title = {Dynastische Ehevertr{“a}ge der fr{”u}hen Neuzeit: Contract No. 201},
 url = {https://dynastische-ehevertraege.online.uni-marburg.de/en/vertraege/201.html}
}