Marriage contract no. 224: Sachsen - Brandenburg

  • Date of contract conclusion: 9. Oktober 1540
  • Place of contract conclusion: s. l.

Groom

  • Name: August von Sachsen
  • GND: 119458446
  • Year of Birth: 1526
  • Year of Death: 1586
  • Dynasty: Wettin (Albertiner)
  • Confession: Lutherisch

Bride

  • Name: Elisabeth Magdalene von Brandenburg
  • GND: 119663369X
  • Year of Birth: 1537
  • Year of Death: 1595
  • Dynasty: Hohenzollern (Brandenburg)
  • Confession: Lutherisch

Actors of the Groom

  • Name: Heinrich IV. („der Fromme“) von Sachsen
  • GND: 115821872
  • Dynasty: Wettin (Albertiner)
  • Relationship: Vater

Actors of the Bride

  • Name: Joachim II. Hector von Brandenburg
  • GND: 118557556
  • Dynasty: Hohenzollern (Brandenburg)
  • Relationship: Vater

Contract content

Article 1 (fol. 171r – 172r): Extensive inheritance regulations concerning money and jewelry

Article 2 (fol. 172r): Renunciation by the groom of all paternal, fraternal, and cousinly inheritance

Article 3 (fol. 172r-172v): Marriage agreed

Article 4 (fol. 172v): Trousseau appropriate to social status promised; in addition, the bride shall receive her inheritance according to customary law

Article 5 (fol. 172v): Marriage at an appropriate age for the spouses, ratification mentioned, consummation agreed upon

Article 6 (fol.173r): Marriage contract according to the custom of the houses of Saxony and Brandenburg

Article 7 (fol. 173r-174r): Receipt of 30,000 guilders, which the couple receives from the House of Saxony, regulated

Article 8 (fol. 174r-175r): Regulated inheritance, waiver of the grandfather’s and grandmother’s inheritance by the guardian, letter of waiver, list of witnesses, knighthood, and councils

Article 9 (fol. 175v-176r): Marriage agreement, marriage decided, ratification mentioned, consummation set at an appropriate age

Article 10 (fol. 176r): Dowry set at 20,000 guilders, trousseau of jewelry, precious stones, etc. awarded and payment after consummation regulated

Article 11 (fol. 176r-176v): Renunciation of inheritance by the bride to her paternal and maternal inheritance; inheritance for the bride and her heirs only occurs if there are no male heirs of the bride’s father

Article 12 (fol. 176v): Princely seat and 4,000 guilders per annum awarded, dower awarded, rights of disposal after the death of the groom, regulations regarding officials, homage prescribed, land tax mentioned

Regulations on inheritance law

Article 1 (fol. 171r – 172r): Extensive inheritance law regulations concerning money and jewelry

Article 2 (fol. 172r): Renunciation by the groom of all paternal, fraternal, and cousinly inheritance

Article 8 (fol. 174r-175r): Fraternization of heirs, waiver of the grandfather’s and grandmother’s inheritance by the guardian, letter of waiver, list of witnesses, knighthood and councils mentioned

Article 11 (fol. 176r-176v): Renunciation of inheritance by the bride from her father and mother; inheritance by the bride and her heirs only occurs if there are no male heirs of the bride’s father

External authorities involved

Article 8 (fol. 174r-175r): Fraternal inheritance, waiver of the grandfather’s and grandmother’s inheritance by the guardian, letter of waiver, list of witnesses, knighthood and councils mentioned

Ratifications, confirmations, approvals

Article 9 (fol. 175v-176r): Marriage agreement, marriage decided, ratification mentioned, consummation set at an appropriate age

Commentary

The contract itself is not divided into articles

References