Marriage contract no. 261: Hessen-Marburg - Württemberg

Contract content

Article 1: Marriage is agreed.

Article 2: Dowry of 32,000 guilders, calculated at 15 bazen or 60 kreuzers per guilder. Hedwig shall also be provided with clothing, Kleinater (jewels), jewellery, silver tableware, etc.

Article 3: Hedwig shall renounce her Württemberg inheritance.

Article 4: Donatio propter nuptias of 32,000 guilders, of which 3,200 guilders shall be paid annually.

Article 5: Hedwig shall be granted the castle, valley and office of Eppstein with all associated lands and rights.

Article 6: Hedwig shall not sell any of the dower lands and shall not devastate the forests by selling excessive amounts of timber.

Article 7: The officials of the Eppstein dower shall swear an oath to Hedwig.

Article 8: After Ludwig’s death and after the payment of the dowry, the subjects shall remain loyal to Hedwig.

Article 9: Hedwig shall be released from any debts that may encumber the dower.

Article 10: The subjects shall retain their spiritual and secular freedoms. Philip reserves the right to open the Eppstein office, but at his own expense. Should the dower be ravaged by war, Hedwig shall receive compensation.

Article 11: Hedwig and her dower are under the protection and patronage of Philip and his successors.

Article 12: Hedwig may not open or transfer the dowry to anyone without the knowledge of the Landgraves. She is also obliged to maintain the dowry.

Article 13: If the dowry office does not yield the 3,200 guilders annually, the difference shall be made up from other lands.

Article 14: Should Ludwig die but leave behind minor heirs, they shall be assigned a guardian and Hedwig shall receive her dower. Hedwig may keep the clothes, jewels, jewellery and silverware she received at her wedding or thereafter. A year’s supply shall be stored at the dower residence. If this supply cannot be provided from the office itself, it shall be supplemented from other offices. The same applies to household goods. Necessary construction work on the dower residence shall be carried out by the Landgrave, or Hedwig shall receive a sum of money with which she can take care of it herself.

Article 15: Should Ludwig die and the dower residence not yet be completed, Hedwig shall live in the princely court camp until it is finished.

Article 16: Should Hedwig remarry, she shall leave the dower residence, receive 32,000 guilders and, instead of the 32,000 donation propter nuptias, receive 1,600 guilders annually for the rest of her life. After her death, the money shall go to her heirs.

Article 17: Should Hedwig also have children with her other husband, the 32,000 guilders shall be divided among the children.

Article 18: Should Ludwig and Hedwig die without children, the dowry shall revert to Christoph and the donation propter nuptias to Philipp.

Article 19: When Hedwig dies, her property (which she brought into the marriage or earned as income from her widow’s estate) shall go to her legal heirs. Any remaining property shall be divided into three parts. Ludwig’s heirs shall receive two parts and Hedwig’s heirs the third part.

Article 20: The dower shall serve as collateral for the 32,000 guilders dowry until it has been repaid. Until then, the subjects of Eppstein shall remain loyal to Christoph. However, he may not take or steal anything from the dower.

Article 21: Should Hedwig die without children, Ludwig may keep the dowry. After his death, it shall revert to Hedwig’s heirs.

Article 22: Hedwig shall have nothing to do with the debts of Philipp or Ludwig.

Article 23: Should Hedwig have incurred debts after receiving the dower, her heirs must pay them.

Article 24: mornig gift of 6,000 guilders, of which Hedwig receives 300 guilders annually. Hedwig also receives a letter and seal from the town of Butzbach. Hedwig may dispose of it in accordance with Senatus Consultum Velleianum.

Article 25: Should Hedwig die without issue, the mornig gift shall revert to Philipp.

Article 26: Regulation concerning the payment of the mornig gift.

Article 27: Should one of the spouses die after consummation of the marriage, the contractual provision shall come into force

Should one of the spouses die before consummation of the marriage, the contract is invalid.

Article 28: The marriage is reconfirmed and authenticated.

Confessional regulations

Article 10: The subjects shall be left in their spiritual and secular freedoms.

Regulations on inheritance law

Article 3: Hedwig shall renounce her Württemberg inheritance.

Article 19: Upon Hedwig’s death, her property (which she brought into the marriage or earned as income from her dower) shall pass to her rightful heirs. Any remaining property shall be divided into three parts. Ludwig’s heirs shall receive two parts and Hedwig’s heirs the third part.

Article 21: Should Hedwig die without children, Ludwig may keep the dowry. After his death, it shall revert to Hedwig’s heirs.

Article 23: Should Hedwig have incurred debts after receiving her dower, her heirs shall be responsible for paying them.

Commentary

The contract itself is divided into articles by headings.

Literature

References

• Archive copy: HStAM Urk. 3 Nr. 119
• Contract language archive copy: German
• Digitized archive copy: https://arcinsys.hessen.de/arcinsys/digitalMediaViewer.action?archivalDescriptionId=6156399

Recommended citation

Dynastische Eheverträge der frühen Neuzeit. Contract No. 261. Philipps University of Marburg. Available online at https://dynastische-ehevertraege.online.uni-marburg.de/en/vertraege/261.html.

@misc{ Dynastische Ehevertr{“a}ge der fr{”u}hen Neuzeit, 
title = {Dynastische Ehevertr{“a}ge der fr{”u}hen Neuzeit: Contract No. 261},
 url = {https://dynastische-ehevertraege.online.uni-marburg.de/en/vertraege/261.html}
}