Marriage contract no. 24: Frankreich - England

Contract content

[Pre] – To the praise and glory of God, to strengthen the friendship and alliance between both countries, to preserve and promote the welfare of both countries, after negotiations between councillors on both sides, after marriage negotiations between negotiators: contract concluded (406 li-re)

[1] – Marriage agreed: within 6 weeks of ratification, in England (406 re)

[2] – Catholic religious practice of groom and his court regulated: without interference by groom in English religious laws (406 re – 407 li)

[3] – Royal rank of groom, groom’s renunciation of share in English government regulated (407 li)

[4] – Coronation of the groom as King of England regulated: at the request of the groom, agreed to by the bride subject to the decision of the English Parliament (407 li)

[5] – Joint issuance of royal documents, minting of coins in England regulated: following the example of Queen Mary and King Philip (407 li)

[6] – Royal maintenance of the groom in England regulated: at the request of the groom, also as a widower, agreed to by the bride subject to the decision of the English Parliament (407 li – re)

[7] – Widow’s income of the bride in France determined: widow’s property, rights of use regulated (407 re)

[8] – Succession to the throne, succession of children regulated: in England subject to the decision of the English Parliament, also regulated in France if necessary, exercise of government in the event of personal union regulated, avoidance or dissolution of personal union regulated if necessary, ratification of dispositions of the English Parliament regarding English succession to the throne required by the French Parliament (407 re – 408 li)

[9] – After the death of the bride: guardianship, regency of the groom for minor children regulated in England, jointly with English magnates, English Parliament (408 li)

[10] – Appointment of foreigners to English offices or amendment of English rights and laws by the groom prohibited (408 li – re)

[11] – Confirmation of English rights and laws by the groom regulated (408 re)

[12] – Prohibition on the groom bringing a bride or children from England: exceptions regulated (408 re)

[13] – After the death of the bride without children: exclusion of the groom from the line of succession to the English throne (408 re)

[14] – Prohibition on the groom exporting the crown jewels, cannons and warships from England (408 re)

[15] – Prohibition on the groom involving England in foreign wars (408 re)

[16] – Sole sovereignty of the bride in England established: modelled on Queen Mary and King Philip (408 re – 409 li)

[17] – Groom’s rights to French succession reserved (409 li)

[18] – Ratification by English and French parliaments, regulated by King of France (409 li)

[19] – Eternal alliance between both countries agreed: separate alliance negotiations reserved (409 li)

[20] – Ratification regulated: by King of France, groom, bride within one month, compliance promised, waiver of legal remedies agreed (409 li)

[Addendum] – Marriage ceremony regulated (409 li – re)

Regulations on succession to the throne

Royal rank of groom, groom’s waiver of share in English government regulated – 3

Coronation of groom as King of England regulated: at the request of the groom, agreed to by the bride subject to the decision of the English Parliament – 4

Succession to the throne, succession of children regulated: in England subject to the decision of the English Parliament, if necessary also regulated in France, exercise of government in the event of personal union regulated, if necessary avoidance or dissolution of personal union regulated, ratification of dispositions of the English Parliament regarding English succession to the throne required by the French Parliament - 8

After the death of the bride: guardianship, regency of the groom for minor children in England regulated, jointly with English magnates, English Parliament - 9

Appointment of foreigners to English offices or amendment of English rights and laws by the groom prohibited - 10

After the death of the bride without children: succession to the throne by the groom in England excluded - 13

Sole sovereignty of the bride in England established: following the example of Queen Mary and King Philip - 16

Rights of the groom to French succession to the throne reserved - 17

Confessional regulations

Catholic religious practice of the groom and his court regulated: without interference by the groom in English religious laws - 2

Regulations on inheritance law

Succession to the throne and inheritance by children regulated: in England dependent on the decision of the English Parliament, also regulated in France if necessary - 8

Estates involved

Ratification of dispositions of the English Parliament on English succession to the throne required by the French Parliament - 8

Ratification regulated by the English and French Parliaments - 18

Ratifications, confirmations, approvals

Ratification of dispositions of the English Parliament regarding English succession to the throne required by the French Parliament – 8

Ratification regulated by the English and French Parliaments – 18

Ratification regulated: by the King of France, groom, bride within one month – 20

References

• Print reference: Dumont 1726-1739, vol. V:1, pp. 406-409
• Contract language print: French
• Digitized print: https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k1262878n/f454.item

Recommended citation

Dynastische Eheverträge der frühen Neuzeit. Contract No. 24. Philipps University of Marburg. Available online at https://dynastische-ehevertraege.online.uni-marburg.de/en/vertraege/24.html.

@misc{ Dynastische Ehevertr{“a}ge der fr{”u}hen Neuzeit, 
title = {Dynastische Ehevertr{“a}ge der fr{”u}hen Neuzeit: Contract No. 24},
 url = {https://dynastische-ehevertraege.online.uni-marburg.de/en/vertraege/24.html}
}