Marriage contract no. 236: Sachsen-Merseburg - Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg

Contract content

Article 1: Marriage decided upon to strengthen the long-standing kinship and friendship between the two principalities, etc.; previous engagement at Nykøbing Castle in Denmark mentioned

Article 2: Consent of the bride’s father and the bride herself expressed; consummation of the marriage regulated

Article 3: Dowry or marriage settlement set at 15,000 Reichstaler; instead of silver, the bride receives 2,000 Reichstaler, trousseau arranged, payment within one year, receipt arranged

Article 4: The bride expressly does not renounce her inheritance, but receives the same share of the inheritance as her sisters

Article 5: Bride receives 6,000 Reichstaler annually with five percent interest as a morning gift, bride’s right of disposal settled, Christiane can continue to use the sum freely even after receiving her widow’s dower, formal prescription of the morning gift agreed

Article 6: donatio propter nuptias set at 15,000 Reichstaler; Investment of the total sum from the dowry and donatio propter nuptias regulated by the Sangerhausen office, which is designated as a widow’s dower with all associated goods, income, and rights. 3,000 Reichstaler set as annual widow’s income; if the sum is not achieved, the difference will be reimbursed, with appropriate interest and instructions from the officials guaranteed.

Article 7: Further financial regulations; feudal and sovereign rights and regalia remain reserved to the Elector of Saxony and his heirs and descendants, but the exercise of these rights must not be to Christiane’s financial disadvantage

Article 8: Obedience of officials and subjects on the widow’s estate to Christiane is guaranteed, except in cases where the specified sovereign rights and regalia are affected; Christiane’s obligation to continue to observe the old rights and freedoms of her subjects is regulated.

Article 9: Protection and defense of the widow’s estate by the Saxon side is promised.

Article 10: Financial burdens on the dower estate are to be redeemed by the Saxon line, or other arrangements must be made to ensure that the widow’s pension of 3,000 Reichstalers per annum is achieved.

Article 11: Receipt of the widow’s property after the death of the groom is regulated, the preparation of an inventory list of existing furnishings is agreed upon, and the provision of additional household goods and supplies is regulated.

Article 12: Pledging and opening of the dower without the permission of the Saxon side is excluded; structural maintenance is the responsibility of the Saxon side.

Article 13: Procurement of materials for structural maintenance of the widow’s dower is regulated

Article 14: If the bride dies before the groom and there are no joint heirs, he receives lifelong right of use of the 15,000 Reichstalers dowry and the trousseau, unless there is another legal disposition regarding the marriage property; Preparation of an inventory is guaranteed; reversion to the bride’s family after the groom’s death is regulated.

Article 15: If the groom dies before the bride and there are joint minor heirs, they shall be placed under guardianship in accordance with the groom’s instructions; maintenance and education shall not be at the expense of the widow’s dower.

Article 16: Use of the widow’s dower, including household goods, Trousseau , and morning gift, is guaranteed as long as Christiane does not remarry after becoming a widow.

Article 17: If the widow remarries: transfer of the widow’s dower in exchange for a payment of 15,000 Reichstalers; use of the morning gift and donatio propter nuptias in this case, including interest and deposit, is regulated.

Article 18: If Christiane dies and leaves children from her second marriage: equal distribution of the 15,000 Reichstaler dowry and other possessions among the descendants from the first and second marriages, the donatio propter nuptias is inherited solely by the descendants from the first marriage, the deposit is forfeited

Article 19: If the widow does not remarry: protection of the widow’s dower promised; after the death of the bride, the dower reverts to the heirs of the groom; the bride’s personal estate shall revert to her family

Article 20: The household goods of the dower shall be left behind in accordance with the agreed inventory list

Article 21: The bride’s father and his heirs are granted the right to use the dower until the dowry has been reimbursed and the bride’s estate has been handed over to them; obedience of the subjects is assured; any debts of the groom are to be paid off by his heirs; Christiane is exempt from liability for these; debts of the bride are to be paid off by her heirs

Article 22: If the bride or groom should die before consummation of the marriage, the contract shall be null and void.

Regulations on inheritance law

Article 4: The bride expressly does not renounce her inheritance, but receives the same share of the inheritance as her sisters.

Article 14: If the bride dies before the groom and there are no joint heirs, he shall receive lifelong rights of use to the 15,000 Reichstalers dowry and the trousseau, unless there is another legal disposition regarding the marriage property; preparation of an inventory is guaranteed; Reversion to the bride’s family after the groom’s death is regulated.

Article 15: If the groom dies before the bride and there are joint minor heirs, they shall be placed under guardianship in accordance with the groom’s instructions; maintenance and education shall not be at the expense of the widow’s dower.

Article 18: If Christiane dies and leaves children from a second marriage: equal distribution of the 15,000 Reichstaler dowry and other possessions among the descendants from the first and second marriages; the donatio propter nuptias shall be inherited solely by the descendants from the first marriage; the deposit shall be forfeited

Article 19: If the widow does not remarry: protection of the dower is promised; after the death of the bride, the dower shall revert to the heirs of the groom; the bride’s personal estate shall revert to her family.

Commentary

The original contract does not have numbered articles.

References

• Archive copy: HStA Drd, 10001 O.U. 13220
• Contract language archive copy: German

Recommended citation

Dynastische Eheverträge der frühen Neuzeit. Contract No. 236. Philipps University of Marburg. Available online at https://dynastische-ehevertraege.online.uni-marburg.de/en/vertraege/236.html.

@misc{ Dynastische Ehevertr{“a}ge der fr{”u}hen Neuzeit, 
title = {Dynastische Ehevertr{“a}ge der fr{”u}hen Neuzeit: Contract No. 236},
 url = {https://dynastische-ehevertraege.online.uni-marburg.de/en/vertraege/236.html}
}