Marriage contract no. 256: Schwarzburg(-Rudolstadt) - Nassau-Dillenburg

Contract content

Marriage in honour of God and to preserve the existing friendship between the houses of Nassau and Schwarzburg (fol. 1r)

Marriage contract negotiated and agreed with the knowledge, consent and advice of the groom, Juliana von Stolberg [mother of the bride] and Johann VI von Nassau-Dillenburg [brother of the bride] (fol. 1r)

Marriage to take place according to Christian rites in the face of the Church (fol. 1r)

Marriage dowry set at 8,000 guilders: in accordance with a assignment drawn up with the consent of Emperor Charles V by the deceased father of the bride, William von Nassau-Dillenburg, in which it was stipulated that his eldest son, William I of Orange-Nassau should give the bride and her younger sister Magdalena the aforementioned sum as a dowry from his Dutch possessions belonging to Breda Castle, in exchange for their father’s inheritance, which was due to him and his brothers (fol. 1r-1v)

Bride and groom attest that they have received the aforementioned 8,000 guilders from William I of Orange-Nassau; for this reason, all future claims by them and their heirs shall be directed not to John VI of Nassau-Dillenburg [William I’s younger brother], but to William I of Orange-Nassau, his descendants and the future owners of Breda Castle (fol. 1v-2r)

Waiver of the bride is regulated in accordance with the custom of the House of Nassau: in return for the 8,000 guilders dowry, she renounces any inheritance from her father, mother or brothers, as well as all other inheritances, and promises not to make any claims on her brothers (fol. 2r)

Donatio propter nuptias by the groom and the groom’s brother also set at 8,000 guilders; total sum: 16,000 guilders (1 guilder calculated at 15 batzen) (fol. 2r)

Morning gift set at 1,000 guilders; it is to be placed on the Lautenberg dominion and the associated possessions and rights (fol. 2r)

If the groom dies before the bride, the bride shall receive the mentioned estate as a widow’s dower (fol. 2r-2v)

Within three months of the wedding, the groom shall obtain the consent of his brothers and other feudal lords with estates in this domain for the allocation of this dower; his heirs are obliged to redeem everything that is pledged there at the time of his death (fol. 2v)

Annual widow’s pension set at 1,600 guilders (fol. 2v)

Ludwig III of Isenburg-Büdingen zu Birstein, Wolf[gang] of Isenburg-Büdingen zu Ronneburg and Heinrich of Isenburg-Büdingen zu Ronneburg and their heirs were appointed as guarantors for these arrangements; should the groom or his heirs default, the guarantors or their heirs shall be liable for this, so that the bride does not suffer any disadvantage; should they fail to fulfill this obligation, the bride may settle her costs from their estates as if she held them as a pledge; the guarantors waive all legal remedies against such action by the bride and oblige themselves by their count’s honor to issue a corresponding deed to the bride and give it to her; however, she shall return it as soon as she has received her dower and the associated life estate (fol. 2v-3r)

Louis IV of Hesse-Marburg and Günther of Schwarzburg-Anstadt have affixed their seals to this contract, this shall never be to the detriment of Ludwig and his heirs (fol. 3r)

The treaty was also sealed by the groom, Louis III of Isenburg-Büdingen zu Birstein, Wolf[gang] of Isenburg-Büdingen zu Ronneburg, Henry of Isenburg-Büdingen zu Ronneburg, John VI of Nassau-Dillenburg, Albrecht of Nassau-Saarbrücken, and Wolfgang II of Hohenlohe-Langenburg (fol. 3r-3v)

Regulations on inheritance law

Waiver of the bride is regulated in accordance with the custom of the House of Nassau: in return for the 8,000 guilders dowry, she renounces any inheritance from her father, mother or brothers, as well as all other inheritances, and promises not to make any claims on her brothers (fol. 2r)

If the groom dies before the bride, the bride shall receive the mentioned estate as a widow’s dower (fol. 2r-2v)

External authorities involved

Louis IV of Hesse-Marburg: Actor

Louis III of Isenburg-Büdingen zu Birstein (1529–1588), Wolf[gang] of Isenburg-Büdingen zu Ronneburg (1533–1597), Henry of Isenburg-Büdingen zu Ronneburg (1537–1601): Guarantors and sealers

Albrecht of Nassau-Saarbrücken (1537–1593), Wolfgang II of Hohenlohe-Langenburg (1546–1610): sealers

Ratifications, confirmations, approvals

Louis IV of Hesse-Marburg and Günther of Schwarzburg-Anstadt have affixed their seals to this contract, this shall never be to the detriment of Ludwig and his heirs (fol. 3r)

The treaty was also sealed by the groom, Louis III of Isenburg-Büdingen zu Birstein, Wolf[gang] of Isenburg-Büdingen zu Ronneburg, Henry of Isenburg-Büdingen zu Ronneburg, John VI of Nassau-Dillenburg, Albrecht of Nassau-Saarbrücken, and Wolfgang II of Hohenlohe-Langenburg (fol. 3r-3v)

Text reference to past events

Deed by Wilhelm of Nassau-Dillenburg for two of his daughters

Further contracts between contracting parties

Marriage contract between Günther of Schwarzburg-Arnstadt and Katharina of Nassau-Dillenburg (1543-1624) dated 23 August 1558 (HHStAW, 3036, KHA Inv. A 2 No. 744); waiver by the bride on the same date (HHStAW, 170 I, U 4688); debt certificate from Günther von Schwarzburg(-Arnstadt) for William I von Oranien-Nassau dated 10 August 1575 (HStAM, Urk. 11, 2364); ’Leibzuchtverschreibung‘ for the bride dated 15 February 1577 (HStAM, Urk. 100, 3652)

Commentary

Original contract not foiled.

References

• Archive copy: HHStAW, 3036, KHA Inv. A 2 Nr. 755; HStAD, D 5, 107/5
• Contract language archive copy: German
• Digitized archive copy: https://arcinsys.hessen.de/arcinsys/digitalMediaViewer.action?archivalDescriptionId=3800857

Recommended citation

Dynastische Eheverträge der frühen Neuzeit. Contract No. 256. Philipps University of Marburg. Available online at https://dynastische-ehevertraege.online.uni-marburg.de/en/vertraege/256.html.

@misc{ Dynastische Ehevertr{“a}ge der fr{”u}hen Neuzeit, 
title = {Dynastische Ehevertr{“a}ge der fr{”u}hen Neuzeit: Contract No. 256},
 url = {https://dynastische-ehevertraege.online.uni-marburg.de/en/vertraege/256.html}
}