Marriage contract no. 249: Sachsen - Württemberg

Contract content

Article 1 (p. 1): Marriage decided

Article 2 (p. 1): Beilager regulated

Article 3 (p. 1-2): The mornig gift amounts to 32,000 guilders, payment arranged; trousseau of clothes, jewellery, silverware, etc. awarded in accordance with the custom of the House of Württemberg; receipt for the sums paid required

Article 4 (p. 2): Renunciation of inheritance by the bride of all paternal, maternal, fraternal, and cousinly inheritance with the consent of the groom; the bride shall only inherit when the male heirs of the House of Württemberg die

Article 5 (p. 2): The donation propter nuptias amounts to 32,000 guilders

Article 6 (p. 2): The bride receives 3,200 guilders for her maintenance

Article 7 (p. 3): The bride’s princely residence and dower are specified (Weißenstein/Weißensee Castle and Kölleda Castle), rights of use and disposal are regulated, registers are mentioned; hunting rights are regulated

Article 8 (p. 3 / p. 3 Ex. 2): Interest on the 3,200 guilders regulated, rights of use on the dower mentioned; regulations regarding game and poultry; corvée labour regulated; supply of timber regulated

Article 9 (p. 3-4): Parish awarded on the dower

Article 10 (p. 4): Oaths and vows of the officials on the widow’s dower established, widow’s dower letter mentioned

Article 11 (p. 4): Obedience of subjects to the bride on the widow’s dower established, widow may issue commands and prohibitions

Article 12 (p. 4): Knights and nobility obliged to the widow’s dower according to custom

Article 13 (pp. 4-5): If the dower is encumbered with debts, the bride is not liable for payment; the groom and his heirs must settle the debts

Article 14 (p. 5 / p. 4 Ex. 2): The groom reserves the right for himself and his heirs to determine the confession and Formulae Concordia; the Augsburg Confession shall remain in force

Article 15 (p. 5-6): Mention of hereditary homage, mention of drink and other taxes

Article 16 (p. 6): Comparison of the dower with other property in the event of damage, deadline of one year set

Article 17 (p. 6): Reference to dower and morning gift specified

Article 18 (p. 6): Protection of the dower promised

Article 19 (p. 6): Opening of the dower without the consent of the groom’s heirs prohibited

Article 20 (p. 6): The dower shall not be granted as a fief by the groom’s heirs and shall not be encumbered with debts

Article 21 (p. 6-7): If the dower does not yield 3,200 guilders annually, the shortfall must be reimbursed

Article 22 (p. 7): If the groom dies before the bride and there are heirs: The heirs shall receive their inheritance as is customary in the House of Saxony; Entitlement to the dower is regulated, lifelong rights of use are regulated, rights of use are guaranteed for the donation propter nuptias, as long as the widow does not remarry, provision of household goods, wine and fruit is guaranteed; the bride retains her trousseau

Article 23 (pp. 7-8): Provisions guaranteed if the income from the widow’s dower is insufficient (period of one year specified), provision to be ensured by the groom’s heirs.

Article 24 (p. 8): Once the widow’s dower has been redeemed, the widow receives 1,600 guilders annually for life; redemption of the widow’s dower possible for 32,000 guilders.

Article 25 (p. 8): If the widow remarries and also has children from the second marriage: the 32,000 guilders shall be divided between the children of the first and second marriages after the bride’s death

Article 26 (p. 9): If there are no children from the marriage: The bride shall spend her twilight years on her widow’s dower, and the 32,000 guilders shall revert to the bride’s father or his heirs after the bride’s death, and the donation propter nuptias shall revert to the groom’s next heirs.

Article 27 (p. 9): Regulations regarding movable property: The heirs shall only inherit the items that were already in the bride’s possession before her widowhood and those that she acquired herself during her widowhood; the remaining household effects shall be divided between the heirs of Johann Georg (2/3) and the heirs of the bride (1/3).

Article 28 (p. 10): Until the 32,000 guilders have been repaid to the heirs, the heirs of the House of Württemberg shall be granted dominion over the widow’s dower; obedience of the subjects assured

Article 29 (p. 10): If the bride dies and there are no children: the dowry shall remain with the groom; if he dies, the sum shall fall to his respective heirs.

Article 30 (p. 10): Debts incurred by the bride and groom shall be paid from the groom’s estate; the bride shall not be liable for payment.

Article 31 (p. 10): Unpaid debts on the dower shall be paid after the death of the bride with the donation propter nuptias.

Article 32 (p. 10): The morning gift amounts to 8,000 guilders and thereafter 400 guilders annually.

Article 33 (p. 11): At Easter and Michaelmas, the bride shall receive 200 guilders each time, rights of use specified

Article 34 (p. 11): Letter of provision and reference mentioned

Article 35 (p. 11): The bride may dispose of the morning gift as she pleases

Article 36 (p. 11): If there are no heirs, the sum shall go to the groom’s next of kin.

Article 37 (p. 11): Distribution of the morning gift regulated.

Article 38 (p. 11): If the bride or groom dies after the consummation of the marriage and before the payment of the marriage money: marriage contract valid.

Article 39 (p. 11): If the bride or groom dies before consummation of the marriage: marriage contract invalid

Article 40 (pp. 11-12): Compliance with the contract promised

Article 41 (p. 12): Prescription of dower and morning gift mentioned

Confessional regulations

Article 9 (pp. 3–4): Parish awarded to the dower

Article 14 (p. 5 / p. 4 Ex. 2): The groom reserves the right for himself and his heirs to determine the denomination and Formulae Concordia; the Augsburg Confession shall remain in force.

Regulations on inheritance law

Article 4 (p. 2): Renunciation of inheritance by the bride of all paternal, maternal, fraternal and cousinly inheritance with the consent of the groom; inheritance for the bride only occurs when the male heirs of the House of Württemberg die

Article 15 (pp. 5-6): Mention of inheritance tribute, mention of beverage and other taxes

Article 22 (p. 7): If the groom dies before the bride and there are heirs: The heirs receive their inheritance as is customary in the House of Saxony; commencement of the widow’s dower regulated, lifelong rights of use regulated, right of use over the donation propter nuptias guaranteed as long as the widow does not remarry, provision of household goods, wine and fruit guaranteed; The bride retains her trousseau

Article 25 (p. 8): If the widow remarries and also has children from the second marriage: The 32,000 guilders shall be divided between the children of the first and second marriages after the bride’s death

Article 26 (p. 9): If no children are born from the marriage: The bride spends her twilight years on her widow’s dower, the 32,000 guilders revert to the bride’s father or his heirs after the bride’s death, and the donation propter nuptias reverts to the groom’s next heirs.

Article 27 (p. 9): Regulations regarding movable property: The heirs shall only inherit the items that were already in the bride’s possession before her widowhood and what she acquired herself during her widowhood; the remaining household effects shall be distributed 2/3 to the heirs of Johann Georg and 1/3 to the heirs of the bride.

Article 28 (p. 10): Until the 32,000 guilders have been repaid to the heirs, the heirs of the House of Württemberg shall be granted dominion over the widow’s estate, with the obedience of the subjects assured

Article 29 (p. 10): If the bride dies and there are no children: the dowry shall remain with the groom; if he dies, the sum shall fall to his respective heirs.

Article 36 (p. 11): If there are no heirs apparent, the sum shall fall to the groom’s next heirs.

Commentary

Original contract not divided into articles

Contract exists in 2 copies; the register is based on the first copy

References

• Archive copy: HStA Drd 10001 O.U. 12623 (1604 V 11)
• Contract language archive copy: German

Recommended citation

Dynastische Eheverträge der frühen Neuzeit. Contract No. 249. Philipps University of Marburg. Available online at https://dynastische-ehevertraege.online.uni-marburg.de/en/vertraege/249.html.

@misc{ Dynastische Ehevertr{“a}ge der fr{”u}hen Neuzeit, 
title = {Dynastische Ehevertr{“a}ge der fr{”u}hen Neuzeit: Contract No. 249},
 url = {https://dynastische-ehevertraege.online.uni-marburg.de/en/vertraege/249.html}
}