Marriage contract no. 285: Brandenburg-Bayreuth - Preußen

Contract content

Preamble: Purpose: to honour God, to unite the two houses through blood, to establish lasting friendship

1 – Mutual marriage vows

2 – Dowry of 40,000 talers; according to custom in Prussia and Brandenburg; an additional 60,000 talers as paraphernal; annex regulated; trousseau regulated

3 – Renunciation of inheritance by the bride in the presence of male heirs; Jülich and Cleves inheritance treated separately

4 – Regulations on the mornig gift with a capital of 4,000 talers; hand money of 2,000 talers; bride’s court regulated: composition, appointment and jurisdiction over servants regulated; upon the birth of the first son, the wife is given an additional piece of land

5 – Free practice of religion guaranteed for the wife; court preacher guaranteed; practice of religion outside Bayreuth and Erlangen; upbringing of children regulated: sons must be raised Lutheran; daughters may also be raised Lutheran

6 – Donatio propter nuptias of 40,000 talers; life estate of 12,000 Reichstalers; funds to be invested in the Kulmbach and Münchberg dower; Dower regulated: rights of use, replacement, surpluses, remarriage of the bride, repairs, homage, rights of subjects, reservata, protection, prohibition of sale, debts

7 – If the bride dies before her husband without having had children together: the dowry and paraphernal funds revert to the bride’s family; Husband retains rights of use for his entire life

8 – If joint children survive the wife, everything is inherited

9 – Husband dies before the bride: Bride receives ownership and use for life of the entire dower and dowry

10 – Remarriage of the bride regulated: Regulations on redemption

11 – If one of the two marriage partners dies after consummation of the marriage but before payment has been made, payment must still be made; if one of the two marriage partners dies before consummation of the marriage, the contract is void; gifts by will, codicil or donatio mortis causa are freely permitted as long as they do not violate the house contracts; seals and signatures

Regulations on succession to the throne

Confessional regulations

5 – Free practice of religion guaranteed for the wife; court preacher guaranteed; practice of religion outside Bayreuth and Erlangen; upbringing of children regulated: sons must be raised Lutheran; daughters may also be raised Lutheran

Regulations on inheritance law

3 – Renunciation of inheritance by the bride in the presence of male heirs; Jülich and Cleves inheritance treated separately

7 – If the bride dies before her husband without having had children together: the dowry and paraphernal funds revert to the bride’s family; Husband retains rights of use for his entire life

8 – If joint children survive the wife, everything is inherited

9 – Husband dies before the bride: Bride receives ownership and use for life of the entire dower and dowry

Ratifications, confirmations, approvals

11 – Seals and signatures;

References

• Archive copy: GStA PK BHP, Rep. 43 V, N¹ 2
• Contract language archive copy: German

Recommended citation

Dynastische Eheverträge der frühen Neuzeit. Contract No. 285. Philipps University of Marburg. Available online at https://dynastische-ehevertraege.online.uni-marburg.de/en/vertraege/285.html.

@misc{ Dynastische Ehevertr{“a}ge der fr{”u}hen Neuzeit, 
title = {Dynastische Ehevertr{“a}ge der fr{”u}hen Neuzeit: Contract No. 285},
 url = {https://dynastische-ehevertraege.online.uni-marburg.de/en/vertraege/285.html}
}