Marriage contract no. 240: Oranien-Nassau - Sachsen (Kursachsen)

Contract content

Article 1: Marriage decided, in memory of the deceased father of the bride, date of wedding set for August 24, 1561; dowry set at 25,000 guilders from the inheritance of Anna’s mother, Agnes of Hesse, plus 10,000 talers bequeathed to her by her father, Moritz of Saxony; Assurance of the Trousseau by Anna’s uncle, Elector August of Saxony, in accordance with the Hessian-Saxon inheritance agreement; additional payment of 30,000 guilders guaranteed after the death of Anna’s mother’s second husband, Johann Friedrich II of Saxony; Allowance of a further 35,000 guilders guaranteed by August at his own expense, bringing the total to 70,000 guilders; payment and receipt regulated, bride’s trousseau regulated in accordance with a princess of the House of Saxony.

Article 2: Morning gift of a one-time payment of 10,000 talers or 500 talers as an annual pension guaranteed.

Article 3: donatio propter nuptias set at 70,000 guilders; County of Vianden, dominions of St. Veit and Warneton in Flanders and Grave, together with associated villages, lands, etc., designated as dower and widow’s estate, rights of use regulated, income of 12,500 guilders per annum guaranteed; Obligations of homage and loyalty of officials and subjects after Wilhelm’s death towards Anna or, after her death, towards her Saxon relatives until revocation regulated.

Article 4: Regulation of Anna’s sovereign rights and jurisdiction over the dower estates; opening of the estates, obedience of subjects and defense reserved for Wilhelm and his heirs.

Article 5: Inspection of the estates by Anna’s guardian, Elector August of Saxony, agreed upon to ensure that the guaranteed 12,500 guilders of annual income can be achieved

Article 6: If the estates do not guarantee the bride’s annual allowance, the groom and his heirs undertake to increase the sum

Article 7: If damage and devastation to the estates exceed Anna’s annual income, the groom and his heirs undertake to compensate for half of the damage, with Anna herself bearing the other half of the costs

Article 8: Protection and safety of Anna on the dower promised by Wilhelm’s heirs.

Article 9: In return for dowry, trousseau, etc.: the bride’s renunciation of her paternal, maternal, and maternal grandmother’s inheritance, as well as any inheritance from the House of Saxony, except in the event of the extinction of the male line of the House of Saxony; a formal letter of renunciation has been agreed upon.

Article 10: If Anna dies after consummation of the marriage and before Wilhelm and there are no legitimate heirs from the marriage, he shall receive lifelong right of disposal over the 70,000 guilders marriage settlement; after his death, the sum shall fall to Elector August and his heirs; until the sum is paid out, the House of Saxony shall receive authority and rights of use over the aforementioned dominions. Loyalty obligation of officials and subjects regulated for the duration of this period, repayment agreed in Frankfurt am Main.

Article 11: If Anna dies before Wilhelm and there are no physical heirs, he shall receive lifelong right of disposal over the 30,000 guilders that shall accrue to Anna after the death of Johann Friedrich II; After Wilhelm’s death: reversion of the sum to Anna’s next heirs, formal prescription promised for the Electoral Saxon side; the morning gift shall remain with Orange and his heirs, unless Anna leaves a testamentary provision to the contrary.

Article 12: Inheritance of the trousseau regulated: after Anna’s death, Wilhelm receives lifelong right of disposal against the provision of an inventory list, unless Anna leaves other testamentary provisions; after his death, the dowry reverts to Elector August and his heirs

Article 13: If there are legitimate heirs from the marriage who die during the lifetime of the married couple without leaving any legitimate heirs of their own, the previous provision shall apply.

Article 14: However, if there are legitimate heirs from the marriage or their legitimate heirs at the time of Anna’s death or the death of both spouses, the dowry, morning gift, and trousseau shall pass to these heirs.

Article 15: If there are sons from the marriage, they shall receive the title of margrave and inherit the county of Vianden together with the associated lands as a margraviate, which is expected to generate an annual income of 60,000 to 70,000 guilders; inheritance of the children from Wilhelm’s first marriage to Anna von Egmond regulated; Written agreement on the fair distribution of the inheritance among the children from Wilhelm’s first and second marriages

Article 16: If Wilhelm dies before Anna, she may freely choose her dower residence from the prescribed dower estates and govern and use the estates as agreed; the estates shall be transferred to her with furnishings appropriate to her status and free of debt; Provision for the widow with building and firewood, etc. is regulated; unrestricted rights of use exist as long as Anna remains a widow.

Article 17: Formal consent of the vassals on the widow’s estates is to be obtained, execution of the Leibgeding and widow’s letter is mentioned, debts on the estates are to be repaid.

Article 18: Provision of food and household goods appropriate to her status at the bride’s princely residence and widow’s residence is guaranteed until she can support herself from the income of the estates

Article 19: If Anna does not remain on the Dutch estates as a widow, the groom’s heirs undertake to continue to provide her with an annual allowance of 12,500 guilders at the Frankfurt am Main autumn fair; the groom’s brothers Johann Ludwig and Adolf von Nassau guarantee the bride’s allowance; issuance of an insurance policy is assured.

Article 20: If Anna, as a widow, does not remain in the Netherlands, the castles and dominions of Dietz or Hadamar, as she wishes, together with the associated estates, shall be made available to her as a widow’s dower; rights of use are regulated; offsetting of income from Dietz or Hadamar against income from the widow’s dower in the Netherlands is regulated; The groom’s brothers shall take out insurance for this case.

Article 21: After Wilhelm’s death: Anna’s rights of use and ownership of her dower, morning gift, trousseau, and the 30,000 guilder dowry, etc. are regulated.

Article 22: If Anna remarries as a widow: redemption of the dower by Wilhelm’s heirs through payment of 150,000 talers and insurance covering the forfeiture of the 70,000 guilders donatio propter nuptias after Anna’s death without any legitimate heirs from her marriage to Wilhelm; transfer of the widow’s estate after payment of the redemption sum and execution of the relevant documents.

Article 23: Anna is exempt from liability for Wilhelm’s debts incurred before and during the marriage; she shall not make any claims against Wilhelm’s heirs and successors beyond the maintenance payments specified in the contract; sealing and signing mentioned.

Regulations on succession to the throne

Article 15: If there are sons from the marriage, they shall receive the title of margrave and inherit the county of Vianden and its associated lands as a margraviate, which is expected to generate annual income of 60,000 to 70,000 guilders; Inheritance of the children from Wilhelm’s first marriage to Anna von Egmond regulated; written regulation on the equitable distribution of the inheritance among the children from Wilhelm’s first and second marriages agreed

Regulations on inheritance law

Article 9: In return for dowry, trousseau, etc.: the bride’s renunciation of her paternal, maternal, and maternal grandmother’s inheritance, as well as any inheritance from the House of Saxony, except in the event of the extinction of the male line of the House of Saxony; formal letter of renunciation agreed upon.

Article 11: If Anna dies before William and there are no biological heirs, he receives lifelong right of disposal over the 30,000 guilders that will fall to Anna after the death of Johann Friedrich II; after William’s death: reversion of the sum to Anna’s next heirs regulated, formal prescription promised for the Electoral Saxon side; The morning gift remains with Orange and his heirs, unless Anna leaves a testamentary provision to the contrary

Article 12: Inheritance of the trousseau regulated: after Anna’s death, Wilhelm receives lifelong right of disposal against the provision of an inventory list, unless Anna leaves other testamentary provisions; after his death, the dowry reverts to Elector August and his heirs

Article 13: If there are legitimate heirs from the marriage who die during the lifetime of the couple without leaving any legitimate heirs of their own, the previous provision shall apply.

Article 14: However, if there are legitimate heirs from the marriage or their legitimate heirs at the time of Anna’s death or the death of both spouses, the dowry, morning gift, and trousseau shall pass to these heirs.

Article 15: If there are sons from the marriage, they shall receive the title of margrave and inherit the county of Vianden together with the associated lands as a margraviate, which is expected to generate an annual income of 60,000 to 70,000 guilders; inheritance of the children from Wilhelm’s first marriage to Anna von Egmond regulated; Written agreement on the fair distribution of the inheritance among the children from Wilhelm’s first and second marriages

Estates involved

Article 17: Formal consent of the vassals on the widow’s estates is to be obtained […]

External authorities involved

Article 19: If Anna, as a widow, does not remain on the Dutch estates […] the groom’s brothers Johann Ludwig and Adolf von Nassau guarantee the bride’s maintenance

Ratifications, confirmations, approvals

Article 17: Formal consent of the vassals on the dower estates is to be obtained […]

Text reference to past events

Article 1: Hessian-Saxon hereditary brotherhood mentioned

Article 15: William’s first marriage to Anna von Egmond mentioned

Commentary

William of Orange was formally Catholic at the time of his marriage, but probably leaned toward the Lutheran faith and later converted to Calvinism. The marriage was dissolved in 1571.

The original treaty does not have numbered articles.

Literature

Mörke 2007

References

• Archive copy: HStA Drd, 10001 O.U. 11659
• Contract language archive copy: German

Recommended citation

Dynastische Eheverträge der frühen Neuzeit. Contract No. 240. Philipps University of Marburg. Available online at https://dynastische-ehevertraege.online.uni-marburg.de/en/vertraege/240.html.

@misc{ Dynastische Ehevertr{“a}ge der fr{”u}hen Neuzeit, 
title = {Dynastische Ehevertr{“a}ge der fr{”u}hen Neuzeit: Contract No. 240},
 url = {https://dynastische-ehevertraege.online.uni-marburg.de/en/vertraege/240.html}
}