Marriage contract no. 212: Österreich/Spanien - England

Contract content

Preamble: Reference to the outbreak of war between the Emperor and France, despite English attempts at mediation in accordance with the Treaty of London 1518/19, followed by an alliance between the Emperor and England against France as a disturber of the peace

Article 1: Emperor undertakes not to enter into any other marriage until Maria reaches the age of majority; marriage by proxy agreed upon as soon as Maria reaches the age of 12

Article 2: Assured renunciation of any other marriage for Maria

Article 3: Joint request to the Pope for dispensation due to close kinship of the spouses agreed upon as soon as the alliance is publicly known

Article 4: Transfer of Mary to Spain within four months of marriage agreed by procurator, at the expense of the English king, public repetition of the marriage ceremony in Spain agreed

Article 5: Dowry set at 400,000 crowns, payment terms agreed, if Mary ascends the English throne, no dowry is due, any payments already made will be reimbursed to the English crown; if Henry should have a male heir to the throne in the future, the dowry will be increased by 600,000 crowns to 1,000,000 crowns; Mary’s dower is set at 50,000 crowns per annum

Article 6: If the marriage does not take place, the party at fault must pay the other party 400,000 crowns in compensation

Article 7: Confirmation of all older alliances and treaties, provided they do not contradict the current treaty

Article 8: Mutual military assistance in the event of an attack is agreed

Article 9: The English fleet has transported the emperor to England; in return, the emperor is obliged to transport the King of England and his army to Calais

Articles 10-11: Agreement on joint invasion of France by the end of May 1524, determination of the number of troops to be provided by both parties to the treaty on land and at sea

Article 12: Both parties are prohibited from concluding a truce or peace with France without the consent of the other party

Article 13: Regulation of mutual rights of passage

Article 14: To defend against French attacks, England and the Emperor shall each keep at least 2,000 soldiers ready in Calais and Atrois

Article 15: Measures agreed to prevent France from recruiting German mercenaries

Article 16: Restitution of places occupied by France that legally belong to one of the two contracting parties to the respective party, regardless of who recaptured them

Article 17: Mutual assistance agreed upon in the recapture of lost possessions

Article 18: Waiver of separate negotiations with France

Article 19: Obligation of both parties to ask the Archbishop of York to excommunicate the party in breach of the treaty in the event of a breach of contract

Article 20: If Mary dies before the wedding, both parties are obliged to arrange a marriage between future children

Article 21: Obligation to keep the treaty secret

Regulations on succession to the throne

Article 5: Dowry set at 400,000 crowns, payment terms agreed; if Mary ascends the English throne, no dowry shall be payable; any payments already made will be reimbursed to the English Crown; if Henry should have a male heir to the throne in the future, the dowry will be increased by 600,000 crowns to 1,000,000 crowns; Mary’s dower is set at 50,000 crowns per annum

Regulations on inheritance law

Article 5: Dow set at 400,000 crowns, payment terms agreed, if Mary ascends the English throne, no dowry shall be payable, any payments already made will be reimbursed to the English crown; if Henry should have a male heir to the throne in the future, the dowry will be increased by 600,000 crowns to 1,000,000 crowns, and Mary’s dower will be set at 50,000 crowns per year

External authorities involved

Dispensation from the Pope required (Article 3)

Text reference to past events

Reference to the Treaty of London 1518/19 and the outbreak of war between France and the Emperor in 1521

Further contracts between contracting parties

Alliance between Pope Leo X, Emperor Maximilian I, Charles I of Spain, Henry VIII of England, London, October 19, 1516 - Treaty of London, October 2, 1518 - Alliance treaty, Westminster, June 16, 1522 - Armistice treaty between England, France, Emperor Charles V, Margaret of Austria, Hampton Court, June 15, 1528

Literature

Kohler 2005, p. 163

References

• Print reference: CSP Sp., Bd. II, S. 438-440 (Regest)
• Contract language print: English
• Digitized print: https://www.british-history.ac.uk/cal-state-papers/spain/vol2/pp434-447

Recommended citation

Dynastische Eheverträge der frühen Neuzeit. Contract No. 212. Philipps University of Marburg. Available online at https://dynastische-ehevertraege.online.uni-marburg.de/en/vertraege/212.html.

@misc{ Dynastische Ehevertr{“a}ge der fr{”u}hen Neuzeit, 
title = {Dynastische Ehevertr{“a}ge der fr{”u}hen Neuzeit: Contract No. 212},
 url = {https://dynastische-ehevertraege.online.uni-marburg.de/en/vertraege/212.html}
}