Marriage contract no. 274: Braunschweig-Lüneburg-Wolfenbüttel - Württemberg-Oels

Contract content

Preamble – Invocation of God, mention of the Prussian King, Frederick II, who confirmed the marriage

Article 1 – Carl Christian Erdmann confirms the marriage after courtship by Frederick August

Article 2 – Frederick August and Friederike Sophie vow mutual fidelity and commit themselves to marriage

Article 3 – Dowry set at 20,000 guilders, to be paid out in Stuttgart after consummation of the marriage; trousseau regulated with a corresponding list, to be signed by both parties

Article 4 – As soon as the dowry has been paid out, a further 20,000 guilders shall be paid; the 40,000 guilders shall be insured in the Eich office, where the widow’s residence shall also be located; widow’s pension of 4,000 guilders determined

Article 5 - Renunciation of inheritance regulated

Article 6 - mornig gift after consummation of the marriage in the amount of 4,000 guilders, with interest of a further 400 guilders agreed; Promise of a piece of jewellery; if there are no princely heirs, the mornig gift capital shall revert to the House of Brunswick.

Article 7 – Hand money in the amount of 4,500 guilders to be paid upon taking up residence in the widow’s estate.

Article 8 – Maintenance and remuneration as well as dealings with servants regulated.

Article 9 – If Friedrich August dies before Friederike, she shall be entitled to take up the dower; however, if she prefers to remain in Silesia, Duke Carl is obliged to transfer the annual dower income of 4,400 guilders, including the interest on the morning gift of 1,100 guilders per quarter, to Berlin or Oels with a corresponding receipt.

Article 10 – The widow shall retain all property and possessions brought into the marriage

Article 11 – Duke Carl shall also bear all funeral expenses without detriment to the widow and her servants, even if he is entitled to his son’s estate

Article 12 – If there are any heirs, they shall be entitled to the aforementioned estate; if there are still minor heirs among them, the mother shall assume guardianship, with Duke Carl and Duke Carl Christian supporting the widow in their upbringing as far as possible.

Article 13 – If the widow does not remarry and also dies without heirs, the widow’s estate, together with the donation propter nuptias and the marriage property, shall pass to Brunswick. If the widow should die within the first six years of her widowhood, leaving behind children, the dowry of 20,000 guilders shall remain with them and all her assets and legacies shall go to the children or, in their absence, to the House of Württemberg-Oels.

Article 14 – However, if the widow remarries, she shall no longer be entitled to her widow’s privileges; if Duke Carl or his heirs do not wish to pay out the dowry in cash, they shall be free to insure it at 5% interest per annum for Friederike’s use for as long as she lives. Upon her death, the dowry shall pass to the joint heirs or, in the event of succession, to the House of Brunswick.

Article 15 – If children are also born from a second marriage, the dowry shall be divided among the children upon Friederike’s death.

Article 16 – Insurance of the marriage funds regulated.

Article 17 – If Friederike dies before her spouse without joint heirs, an inventory of the marriage property and her estate shall be drawn up and Friedrich August shall have disposal of it for the rest of his life; after his death, all of this shall revert to Friederike’s next heirs.

Article 18 – In the event that Friederike should die before or after her husband without any biological heirs, the House of Württemberg-Oels is obliged to pay the 20,000 guilders of marriage money as a reversion to the ruling Duke of Württemberg-Stuttgart from its own funds; the Vielguth office is offered as a mortgage, to be confirmed by the King of Prussia.

Article 19 – If there are legitimate heirs upon Friederike’s death, Friedrich August shall have sole guardianship; in such a case, however, an inventory of his late wife’s estate shall be drawn up jointly with his father and father-in-law. Until the marriage settlement is paid to the widower, it shall bear interest at 5% per annum, while the remainder of the princess’s estate shall go to her children.

Article 20 – If the widower should remarry, the dowry and all bequests included in the aforementioned inventory shall pass to the children from his first marriage.

Article 21 – The prince’s debts shall not be a burden on his wife; if she should incur debts, these shall be paid from her estate after her death.

Article 22 – Should either of the two parties die before consummating the marriage, the provisions of this contract shall be deemed invalid.

Article 23 – Should Carl Christian Erdmann die before his daughter, she shall be entitled to sole regency of the Oels and Bernstedt hereditary lands; however, she shall be entitled to call upon her husband to co-regent; The latter shall also have the right, as confirmed by the Prussian king, to take over the said principality should the Württemberg-Oels line die out, as mentioned in the corresponding letter of confirmation.

Article 24 - In the event of Christian Erdmann’s death, his wife shall retain the corresponding widow’s dower in its entirety.

Article 25 - Mention of five copies of the contract; Carl Christian Erdmann shall also obtain confirmation from the Prussian King.

Regulations on succession to the throne

Artikel 23 - Sollte Carl Christian Erdmann vor seiner Tochter versterben, so gebührt ihr die Regentschaft der Oelsschen Erblande Oels und Bernstedt allein; sie ist jedoch berechtigt ihren Gatten zur Mitregierung hinzuzuziehen; dieser soll auch das Recht haben, wie durch den preußischen König bestätigt, das besagte Fürstentum zu übernehmen, sollte die Württembergisch-Oels’sche Linie aussterben, entsprechender Confirmations-Brief erwähnt

Regulations on inheritance law

Article 5 – Renunciation of inheritance regulated

Article 6 – mornig gift after consummation of the marriage in the amount of 4,000 guilders, with interest of a further 400 guilders; promise of a piece of jewellery; if there are no princely heirs, the mornig gift capital shall revert to the House of Brunswick

Article 12 – If there are legitimate heirs, they shall be entitled to the aforementioned estate; if there are still minor heirs among them, the mother shall assume guardianship, with Duke Carl and Duke Carl Christian supporting the widow in their upbringing as far as possible

Article 13 – If the widow does not remarry and also dies without heirs, the widow’s estate, together with the donation propter nuptias and the dowry, shall pass to Brunswick. If the widow should die within the first six years of her widowhood with surviving children, the dowry of 20,000 guilders shall remain with them and all her assets and legacies shall go to the children or, in their absence, to the House of Württemberg-Oels.

Article 14 – However, if the widow remarries, she shall no longer be entitled to her widow’s privileges; if Duke Carl or his heirs do not wish to pay out the dowry in cash, they shall be free to insure it at 5% interest per annum for Friederike’s use for as long as she lives. Upon her death, the marriage property shall pass to the joint heirs or, in the event of succession, to the House of Brunswick.

Article 15 – If children are also born from a second marriage, the marriage property shall be divided among the children upon Friederike’s death.

Article 17 – If Friederike dies before her spouse without joint heirs, an inventory of the dowry and her estate shall be drawn up and Friedrich August shall have disposal of it for the rest of his life; after his death, all of it shall revert to Friederike’s next heirs.

Article 19 – If there are biological heirs upon Friederike’s death, Friedrich August shall have sole guardianship; in such a case, however, an inventory of his deceased wife’s estate shall be drawn up together with his father and father-in-law. Until the marriage settlement is paid to the widower, it shall bear interest at 5% per annum, while the remainder of the princess’s estate shall pass to her children.

Article 20 – If the widower should remarry, the dowry and all the bequests listed in the aforementioned inventory shall pass to the children from his first marriage.

Ratifications, confirmations, approvals

Article 23 – Should Carl Christian Erdmann predecease his daughter, she shall be entitled to sole regency of the Oels and Bernstedt hereditary lands; however, she shall be entitled to call upon her husband to co-regent; The latter shall also have the right, as confirmed by the Prussian King, to take over the said principality should the Württemberg-Oels line die out, as mentioned in the corresponding letter of confirmation.

Article 25 – Mention of five copies of the contract; Carl Christian Erdmann shall also obtain confirmation from the Prussian King.

Commentary

Original contract divided into articles.

References

• Archive copy: NLA WO, 3 Urk, 2 Nr. 152c
• Contract language archive copy: German

Recommended citation

Dynastische Eheverträge der frühen Neuzeit. Contract No. 274. Philipps University of Marburg. Available online at https://dynastische-ehevertraege.online.uni-marburg.de/en/vertraege/274.html.

@misc{ Dynastische Ehevertr{“a}ge der fr{”u}hen Neuzeit, 
title = {Dynastische Ehevertr{“a}ge der fr{”u}hen Neuzeit: Contract No. 274},
 url = {https://dynastische-ehevertraege.online.uni-marburg.de/en/vertraege/274.html}
}