Marriage contract no. 223: Salm-Reifferscheid - Hessen-Kassel

Contract content

Article 1: The marriage was decided with the consent of the brothers Hermann of Hesse-Rotenburg and Ernst of Hesse-Rheinfels-Rotenburg

Article 2: Dowry set at 20,000 guilders, valued in accordance with the coinage regulations of Emperor Ferdinand I of 1559, in accordance with the custom of the House of Hesse, payment regulated

Article 3: Amalie Elisabeth provides Magdalena with silver tableware, clothing, and jewelry, for which Magdalena must make a written and verbal waiver

Article 4: Ernst Adolph pays Magdalena 20,000 guilders with the consent of his two brothers Ernst Valentin and Ferdinand Albrecht and grants her a donatio propter nuptias, the location of which is regulated on various estates belonging to Ernst Adolph; in addition, Ernst Adolph’s property is to provide for Magdalena’s livelihood in the event of his death, unless a settlement is negotiated. Magdalena receives 4,000 guilders per year in addition to the widow’s residence with appropriate furnishings and furniture as a life annuity.

Article 5: If, after Ernst Adolph’s death, the economy deteriorates, e.g., due to recession, wars, or looting, Magdalena’s widow’s pension is to be financed from other estates so that the 4,000 guilders widow’s pension is secured.

Article 6: Morning gift determined: stately jewel, 2,000 gold guilders and an additional 100 gold guilders annually; if Magdalena dies without heirs, the morning gift shall revert to Ernst Adolph or his heirs.

Article 7: The contract shall also apply after Erich Adolph’s death to his heirs and likewise to the successors of Amalie Elisabeth.

Article 8: Loyalty and service obligations of officials, servants, and subjects to Magdalene and her heirs after Erich Adolph’s death are regulated.

Article 9: If Magdalena dies without heirs, the dowry, donatio propter nuptias, etc. shall not be inherited; if there are heirs, the dowry, donatio propter nuptias, etc. shall be inherited by them

Article 10: If Erich Adolph dies before Magdalena, she may keep all gifts (silverware, jewels, jewelry, etc.)

Article 11: If Erich Adolph dies before Magdalena, Magdalena may move into her widow’s residence with all its furnishings; when she dies, these possessions shall revert to Erich Adolph’s successor

Article 12: Should Magdalena remarry after Erich Adolph’s death, the 20,000 guilders of dowry shall pass to Erich Adolph’s heirs and descendants, as shall the donatio propter nuptias, servants, and subjects. Magdalena shall no longer owe any oaths or duties, and she must also return the letter and seal.

Article 13: Erich Adolph’s will stipulates that Magdalena shall receive the 20,000 guilders and that after her death, the money shall go to her heirs. If there are no heirs, the 20,000 guilders shall go to the ruling prince of Hesse.

Article 14: If Magdalena remarries after Erich Adolph’s death and has children from her second marriage in addition to any children she may have had with Erich Adolph, the marriage money shall be divided among all the heirs. The morning gift shall only go to children she has with Erich Adolph; if no children are born from the second marriage, two-thirds of the marriage money and the morning gift shall go to the heirs from the marriage with Erich Adolph, and Magdalena may keep one-third. If both marriages are childless, the marriage money shall revert to Hesse-Kassel.

Article 15: Magdalena is exempt from liability for debts incurred by Erich Adolph.

Article 16: Should Magdalena die or remarry, the dower residence with all its contents shall be returned. She is prohibited from selling, transferring, or pledging the property without the knowledge of Erich Adolph and his heirs.

Article 17: Erich Adolph reserves for himself and his heirs the superiority and sovereignty of his own country.

Article 18: Contract is confirmed.

Appendix: Certification by Ernst Valentin and Ferdinand Albrecht von Salm-Reifferscheidt.

Regulations on inheritance law

Article 3: Amalie Elisabeth provides Magdalena with silver tableware, clothing, and jewelry, for which Magdalena must make a written and verbal waiver.

Article 6: If Magdalena dies without bodily heirs, the morning gift shall revert to Ernst Adolph or his heirs.

Article 9: If Magdalena dies without heirs, the dowry, donatio propter nuptias, etc. shall not be inherited; if there are heirs, the dowry, donatio propter nuptias, etc. shall be inherited by them

Article 10: If Erich Adolph dies before Magdalena, she may keep all gifts (silver tableware, jewelry, etc.)

Article 11: If Erich Adolph dies before Magdalena, Magdalena may move into her widow’s residence with all its furnishings; upon her death, these possessions shall revert to Erich Adolph’s successor

Article 12: Should Magdalena remarry after Erich Adolph’s death, the 20,000 guilders of dowry shall pass to Erich Adolph’s heirs and descendants, as shall the donatio propter nuptias, servants, and subjects. Magdalena shall no longer owe any oaths or duties, and she must also return the letter and seal.

Article 13: Erich Adolph’s will stipulates that Magdalena shall receive the 20,000 guilders and that after her death, the money shall go to her heirs. If there are no heirs, the 20,000 guilders shall pass to the ruling prince of Hesse.

Article 14: If Magdalena remarries after Erich Adolph’s death and has children from her second marriage in addition to any children she may have had with Erich Adolph, the marriage money shall be divided among all the heirs. The morning gift shall only go to children she has with Erich Adolph; if no children are born from the second marriage, two-thirds of the marriage money and the morning gift shall go to the heirs from the marriage to Erich Adolph, and Magdalena may keep one-third. If both marriages are childless, the marriage money shall revert to Hesse-Kassel.

External authorities involved

Article 1: The marriage was decided with the consent of the brothers Hermann of Hesse-Rotenburg and Ernst of Hesse-Rheinfels-Rotenburg.

Appendix: Certification by Ernst Valentin and Ferdinand Albrecht von Salm-Reifferscheidt

Ratifications, confirmations, approvals

Article 1: The marriage was decided with the consent of the brothers Hermann of Hesse-Rotenburg and Ernst of Hesse-Rheinfels-Rotenburg

Article 18: Contract is confirmed

Text reference to past events

Article 2: Dowry set at 20,000 guilders in value according to the coinage regulations of Emperor Ferdinand I of 1559 […]

Commentary

The contract itself is not divided into articles.

The bride’s renunciation mentioned in Article 3 is presumably to be understood as a renunciation of inheritance.

Confessional regulations can be found in a supplementary agreement to the marriage contract: HStAM, 4 a, No. 44/16

References

• Archive copy: HStAM, Urk. 3, Nr. 279
• Contract language archive copy: German
• Digitized archive copy: https://arcinsys.hessen.de/arcinsys/digitalMediaViewer.action?archivalDescriptionId=6156261

Recommended citation

Dynastische Eheverträge der frühen Neuzeit. Contract No. 223. Philipps University of Marburg. Available online at https://dynastische-ehevertraege.online.uni-marburg.de/en/vertraege/223.html.

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title = {Dynastische Ehevertr{“a}ge der fr{”u}hen Neuzeit: Contract No. 223},
 url = {https://dynastische-ehevertraege.online.uni-marburg.de/en/vertraege/223.html}
}