Marriage contract no. 251: Pommern - Sachsen

Contract content

Article 1 (p. 1): Consent of the groom’s aunt Anna von Croÿ, Duke Philip of Pomerania, Duke Bogislaw XIV, Duke George, Duke Ulrich, Duke Philip Julius, the bride’s mother Sophie of Saxony and the bride mentioned

Article 2 (pp. 1-2): Marriage decided

Article 3 (p. 2): Consummation of the marriage regulated

Article 4 (p. 2): The dowry amounts to 20,000 talers and 20 silver groschen, payment to be made after consummation of the marriage, receipt to be provided

Article 5 (p. 2): Trousseau of jewellery, precious items, silver tableware, clothing, etc. promised, as befits the bride’s status

Article 6 (p. 2-3): The morning gift amounts to 7,000 talers, the annual allowance amounts to 350 talers; should the financial circumstances of the House of Pomerania change, this article may be amended, customary law mentioned

Article 7 (p. 3): Consensus of the groom’s brothers and cousins mentioned again

Article 8 (p. 3): Financial arrangements for the payment of the morning gift and the prescription; the bride receives an additional 87 talers and 12 groschen per quarter

Article 9 (p. 3): The payment of 350 talers per annum shall continue for life even after the death of the groom, consensus of the groom’s brothers and cousins mentioned

Article 10 (p. 3): Regulations in case the groom is unable to provide the morning gift

Article 11 (p. 3-4): The donation propter nuptias amounts to 30,000 talers

Article 12 (p. 4): The dowry shall be invested and shall not be bequeathed to anyone else

Article 13 (p. 4): Dowry residence specified: Butow district together with the associated towns, villages, farms and rents; bequest and insurance for the noble families residing there; approval of the Dukes of Pomerania mentioned; the bride receives 6,000 talers annually for her maintenance

Article 14 (p. 4): Deficits in the dower are to be compensated for by the dowry, the morning gift and their proceeds

Article 15 (p. 4-5): Investment of the dowry specified

Article 16 (p. 5): Corvée labour, fishing rights, jurisdiction, wood, etc. on the dower regulated

Article 17 (p. 5-6): Remuneration of officials and servants by the groom on the dower estate is regulated, remuneration by the groom’s heirs is guaranteed.

Article 18 (pp. 5-6): Deficiencies on the dower estate must be compensated by the groom’s heirs, payment of the pension after the groom’s death by his heirs is stipulated.

Article 19 (p. 6): The bride receives the right to appoint and dismiss officials on the dower, further regulations, origin of the potential official from Pomerania necessary

Article 20 (p. 6): Oath and pledge of the officials and subjects on the dower after the death of the groom regulated; After the death of the bride, the subjects and officials must swear an oath to the Duke of Saxony, his brothers and the heirs of half the donation propter nuptias; provision for the bride regulated.

Article 21 (p. 6): The bride’s rule over the dower, including the villages and appurtenances, etc., regulated; hunting rights regulated; rights of use regulated as usual.

Article 22 (pp. 6-7): Mention of hereditary homage

Article 23 (p. 7): Defence of the dower at the expense of the heirs regulated

Article 24 (p. 7): Inspection of the dower by the Duke of Saxony regulated

Article 25 (p. 7): Inspection of the dower by the groom permitted

Article 26 (p. 7): If the dower cannot yield the prescribed 6,000 talers, the remaining sum must be reimbursed from the proceeds of the dowry or other assets

Article 27 (pp. 7-8): If the dowry does not correspond to the bride’s status: improvements regulated

Article 28 (p. 8): Protection and insurance of the bride on the dowry promised

Article 29 (p. 8): The spiritual and secular subjects on the dowry shall be left in their customs and rights

Article 30 (p. 8): Opening of the dower prohibited, allocation of the dower by the bride prohibited without the permission of the groom’s heirs

Article 31 (p. 8): Regulations regarding the repair of the widow’s residence

Article 32 (pp. 8-9): Renunciation of inheritance by the bride for herself and her heirs to all paternal and other possible inheritance of the House of Saxony, letter of renunciation of inheritance mentioned; Inheritance for the bride and her heirs shall only occur when all male heirs of the House of Saxony have died

Article 33 (pp. 9-10): If the bride dies before the groom and without bodily heirs: The groom receives the lifelong right of use of the dowry; after the groom’s death, the sum reverts to the House of Saxony; Additional provisions regarding payment: until payment has been made in full, the House of Saxony receives the right of use of the dower and 1,800 talers annually. Oaths of office and subjects prescribed

Article 34 (p. 10): Oaths and obedience of subjects and officials on the dower to the bride or the House of Saxony after the death of the groom are regulated.

Article 35 (pp. 10-11): Repayment of the dowry after the death of the bride and the death of the groom without heirs in the city of Frankfurt an der Oder is agreed.

Article 36 (p. 11): If the bride dies before the groom and without physical heirs: If the bride has not bequeathed the trousseau in her will, the groom receives the lifelong right of use of the trousseau, handover of an inventory list is necessary, after the death of the groom, the trousseau reverts to the House of Saxony

Article 37 (p. 11): If there are heirs, but they die before the bride and groom, the inheritance regulations shall be as specified in the previous articles.

Article 38 (p. 11-12): If the bride dies before the groom and there are legitimate heirs: The dowry and trousseau shall remain hereditary property of the groom and the legitimate heirs.

Article 39 (p. 12): If the groom dies before the bride and there are minor legitimate heirs: Guardianship as is customary in the House of Pomerania, the bride’s dominion over the dower is regulated, the provision of wood and ammunition for the dower is regulated, the bride’s lifelong right of use of the dower is regulated, the provision of 6,000 talers is regulated, the provision of grain and household goods is regulated if there is a shortage thereof.

Article 40 (pp. 12-13): The household goods and ammunition shall remain on the dower estate in the event of a possible redemption or after the death of the bride.

Article 41 (p. 13): If the groom dies before the bride: The dowry and all gifts shall remain with the bride.

Article 42 (pp. 13-14): If the widow remarries: redemption of the dower with the sum of the dowry and the dowry, further financial arrangements regarding the redemption, redemption with 2,000 talers of capital, the bride continues to receive 3,000 talers annually and the morning gift, the 3,000 talers revert to the male heirs of the groom and the bride or to their male heirs after the death of the bride

Article 43 (pp. 13-14): If the widow remarries and there are also male heirs from the second marriage: The 30,000 talers shall be divided between the heirs from the first and second marriages after the death of the bride.

Article 44 (p. 14): Transfer of the widow’s dower regulated

Article 45 (p. 14): If there are no common heirs from the marriage: The widow’s life on the widow’s dower is regulated; the dowry reverts to the House of Saxony after the bride’s death.

Article 46 (pp. 14-15): The bride has no obligations whatsoever with regard to any debts of the groom; no claims may be made on the widow’s dower, the trousseau, the morning gift, etc.; no claims may be made on immovable property or movable property.

Article 47 (p. 15): Noble families residing on the widow’s dower estates are mentioned, knightly services are regulated, homage is mentioned, otherwise the nobility remains on the widow’s dower estate under the rule of the prince; if the widow was unable to appoint the aforementioned noble families to knightly services in accordance with their status, the ruling prince assumes this task.

Article 48 (pp. 15-16): If there are fewer than three male persons alive in the House of Pomerania: The heirs of the House of Pomerania shall receive other imperial fiefs, the dower shall remain with the widow.

Article 49 (p. 16): If the bride or groom should die before consummating the marriage: the marriage contract is invalid.

Article 50 (p. 16): Compliance with the contract is promised.

Regulations on inheritance law

Article 20 (p. 6): Oath and pledge of office holders and subjects on the dower after the death of the groom regulated; after the death of the bride, the subjects and office holders must take the oath and pledge to the Duke of Saxony, his brothers and the heirs of half the donation propter nuptias; provision for the bride regulated

Article 22 (pp. 6-7): Mention of hereditary homage

Article 32 (pp. 8-9): Renunciation of inheritance by the bride for herself and her heirs to all paternal and other possible inheritance of the House of Saxony; mention of letter of renunciation of inheritance; inheritance for the bride and her heirs shall only occur when all male heirs of the House of Saxony have died

Article 33 (pp. 9-10): If the bride dies before the groom and without issue: the groom receives the lifelong right of use of the dowry; after the groom’s death, the sum reverts to the House of Saxony; Additional provisions regarding payment: until payment has been made in full, the House of Saxony receives the right of use of the dower as well as 1,800 talers annually; oaths by officials and subjects are required.

Article 35 (pp. 10-11): Repayment of the dowry after the death of the bride and the death of the groom without issue in the city of Frankfurt an der Oder agreed

Article 36 (p. 11): If the bride dies before the groom and without physical heirs: If the bride has not bequeathed the trousseau in her will, the groom receives the lifelong right of use of the trousseau, handover of an inventory list is necessary, after the death of the groom, the trousseau reverts to the House of Saxony

Article 37 (p. 11): If there are heirs, but they die before the bride and groom, the inheritance regulations shall be as specified in the previous articles.

Article 38 (p. 11-12): If the bride dies before the groom and there are legitimate heirs: The dowry and trousseau shall remain hereditary property of the groom and the legitimate heirs.

Article 39 (p. 12): If the groom dies before the bride and there are minor legitimate heirs: Guardianship as is customary in the House of Pomerania, the bride’s dominion over the dower is regulated, the provision of wood and ammunition for the dower is regulated, the bride’s lifelong right of use of the dower is regulated, the provision of 6,000 talers is regulated, the provision of grain and household goods is regulated if there is a shortage thereof.

Article 41 (p. 13): If the groom dies before the bride: The trousseau and all gifts remain with the bride

Article 42 (p. 13-14): If the widow remarries: Redemption of the dower with the sum of the morning gift and the dowry, further financial arrangements regarding the redemption, redemption with 2,000 talers of capital, the bride continues to receive 3,000 talers annually and the morning gift, the 3,000 talers revert to the male heirs of the groom and bride or their male heirs after the death of the bride

Article 43 (pp. 13-14): If the widow remarries and there are also male heirs from the second marriage: The 30,000 talers shall be divided between the heirs from the first and second marriages after the death of the bride.

Article 45 (p. 14): If there are no joint heirs from the marriage: the widow’s life on the dower is regulated, and the dowry reverts to the House of Saxony after the bride’s death.

External authorities involved

Article 1 (p. 1): Consent of the groom’s aunt Anna von Croÿ, Duke Philip of Pomerania, Duke Bogislaw XIV, Duke George, Duke Ulrich, Duke Philip Julius, the bride’s mother Sophie of Saxony and the bride mentioned

Ratifications, confirmations, approvals

Article 1 (p. 1): Consent of the groom’s aunt Anna von Croÿ, Duke Philip of Pomerania, Duke Bogislaw XIV, Duke George, Duke Ulrich, Duke Philip Julius, the bride’s mother Sophie of Saxony and the bride mentioned

Article 7 (p. 3): Consent of the groom’s brothers and cousins mentioned again

Commentary

Original contract not divided into articles

References

• Archive copy: HStA Drd 10001 O.U. 12692 (1610 III 4)
• Contract language archive copy: German

Recommended citation

Dynastische Eheverträge der frühen Neuzeit. Contract No. 251. Philipps University of Marburg. Available online at https://dynastische-ehevertraege.online.uni-marburg.de/en/vertraege/251.html.

@misc{ Dynastische Ehevertr{“a}ge der fr{”u}hen Neuzeit, 
title = {Dynastische Ehevertr{“a}ge der fr{”u}hen Neuzeit: Contract No. 251},
 url = {https://dynastische-ehevertraege.online.uni-marburg.de/en/vertraege/251.html}
}