Marriage contract no. 235: Sachsen - Mecklenburg-Schwerin

Contract content

Article 1: Marriage agreed upon

Article 2: Consent of August’s parents expressed

Article 3: Consent of Anna Maria to the marriage expressed, consummation mentioned

Article 4: Dowry set at 20,000 Reichstaler, payment period set at four years, to be paid in annual installments of 5,000 Reichstaler; earlier full payment arranged if the Mecklenburg estates are able to raise the sum sooner, payment and receipt arranged; Bride’s trousseau regulated; in return for dowry and trousseau: Anna Maria’s renunciation of her father’s and brothers’ inheritance regulated by means of a letter of renunciation, with the exception of inheritance shares expressly bequeathed to her by her father and mother in their wills; if Duke Adolf Friedrich of Mecklenburg leaves no male heirs, Anna Maria’s right of inheritance shall come into force again

Article 5: After consummation of the marriage, the bride shall receive a special prescription from the Elector of Saxony for 6,000 guilders annually as a morning gift (as a widow’s pension), payment and rights of ownership and use thereof regulated

Article 6: donatio propter nuptias set at 20,000 Reichstaler, which, together with the dowry, shall be invested in the Jüterbog and Dahme [?] estates (including all associated possessions), rights of use regulated, annual income from the estates of 4,000 Reichstaler guaranteed; if this sum is not achieved, reimbursement shall be regulated.

Article 7: Sovereign authority, rights, regalia, and the right to open the estates are reserved for the Elector of Saxony and his heirs and successors

Article 8: Duties of loyalty and obedience of officials, servants, and subjects on the dower estates towards Anna Maria are regulated, except where the sovereign rights of Saxony mentioned in Article 7 are affected.

Article 9: Protection and defense of the dower by the Elector of Saxony and his heirs is guaranteed.

Article 10: Debts on the dower are to be repaid by the Elector and his successors, pensions, interest, and benefits are guaranteed, compensation is guaranteed until the annual income of 4,000 Reichstalers is achieved

Article 11: Provision and appropriate furnishings as well as initial maintenance of the dower regulated; sale and pledging of the dower by Anna Maria without the permission of the Elector and his successors and heirs prohibited

Article 12: Provision of building materials for the maintenance of the dower, if not available there, regulated

Article 13: If Anna Maria dies before August and there are no heirs, he shall receive lifelong rights of use to the 20,000 Reichstalers of the dowry, the trousseau, and any gifts; an inventory of the items shall be drawn up; after August’s death, the aforementioned possessions shall pass to Anna Maria’s next heirs

Article 14: If August dies before Anna Maria and there are joint heirs: guardianship is agreed upon according to August’s will; the costs of maintaining and raising minor children may not be borne by the widow’s dower; Anna Maria, as a widow, is entitled to use the widow’s dower and the income therefrom as long as she does not remarry; the transfer of marital property to the widow’s dower is regulated

Article 16: If the widow remarries and has children in her second marriage, the dowry shall be inherited equally by these children and her children from her first marriage to August; the donatio propter nuptias shall be paid solely to the heirs from the first marriage; interest and security deposits shall then be void

Article 17: If the widow does not remarry and remains on her widow’s dower: Lifetime rights of use and protection are regulated; after her death, the widow’s dower reverts to August’s heirs; she may give away private property that is not part of the marriage property during her lifetime or bequeath it according to her wishes

Article 21: If the bride dies and there are no heirs: The groom receives lifelong rights of use over the 20,000 Reichstaler of the dowry, the trousseau, and any gifts; a list of the items is required; after the death of the groom, this estate shall pass to the next heirs.

Article 22: If the groom dies before the bride and there are joint heirs: Minor and underage heirs shall be supported by the widow’s dower and educated at the dower.

Regulations on inheritance law

Article 4: Dowry set at 20,000 Reichstaler, payment period set at four years, to be paid in annual installments of 5,000 Reichstaler; earlier full payment regulated if the Mecklenburg estates are able to raise the sum sooner, payment and receipt regulated; The bride’s trousseau is regulated; in return for the dowry and trousseau: Anna Maria’s renunciation of her paternal and fraternal inheritance is regulated by means of a letter of renunciation, with the exception of inheritance shares expressly bequeathed to her by her father and mother in their wills; if Duke Adolf Friedrich of Mecklenburg leaves no male heirs, Anna Maria’s right of inheritance shall come into force again.

Article 13: If Anna Maria dies before August and there are no heirs, he shall receive lifelong rights of use to the 20,000 Reichstalers of the dowry, the trousseau, and any gifts; an inventory of the items shall be drawn up; after August’s death, the aforementioned possessions shall pass to Anna Maria’s next heirs.

Article 14: If August dies before Anna Maria and there are joint heirs: guardianship is agreed upon according to August’s will; the costs of maintaining and raising minor children may not be borne by the widow’s dower; Anna Maria, as widow, is entitled to use the dower and the income from it as long as she does not remarry; the transfer of marital property to the dower is regulated.

Article 16: If the widow remarries and has children in her second marriage, the dowry shall be inherited equally by these children and her children from her first marriage to August; the donatio propter nuptias shall be paid solely to the heirs from the first marriage; interest and security deposits shall then be void

Article 17: If the widow does not remarry and remains on her widow’s dower: Lifetime rights of use and protection are regulated; after her death, the widow’s dower reverts to August’s heirs; she may give away private property that is not part of the marriage property during her lifetime or bequeath it according to her wishes

Article 21: If the bride dies and there are no heirs: The groom receives lifelong rights of use over the 20,000 Reichstaler of the dowry, the trousseau, and any gifts; a list of the items is required; after the death of the groom, this estate shall pass to the next heirs.

Article 22: If the groom dies before the bride and there are joint heirs: Minor and underage heirs shall be supported by the widow’s dower and educated at the dower.

Ratifications, confirmations, approvals

Article 2: Consent of August’s parents expressed

Article 3: Consent of Anna Maria to the marriage expressed […]

Commentary

The original contract does not have numbered articles.

References

• Archive copy: HStA Drd 10001 O.U. 13141
• Contract language archive copy: German

Recommended citation

Dynastische Eheverträge der frühen Neuzeit. Contract No. 235. Philipps University of Marburg. Available online at https://dynastische-ehevertraege.online.uni-marburg.de/en/vertraege/235.html.

@misc{ Dynastische Ehevertr{“a}ge der fr{”u}hen Neuzeit, 
title = {Dynastische Ehevertr{“a}ge der fr{”u}hen Neuzeit: Contract No. 235},
 url = {https://dynastische-ehevertraege.online.uni-marburg.de/en/vertraege/235.html}
}