Marriage contract no. 3: Braunschweig-Lüneburg-Calenberg - Lothringen

Contract content

Article 1 (fol. 35r): Marriage decided; consent of the spouses mentioned.

Article 2 (fol. 35r-35v): The dowry amounts to 100,000 kroner; payment arrangements specified; investment in widow’s property regulated, jurisdiction and income, etc. regulated.

Article 3 (fol. 35v): Dowry (clothes, jewellery, etc.) regulated; inventory list required; permission regulated?; handover after consummation of the marriage regulated; inventory list required

Article 4 (fol. 35v): Regulations concerning heirs and descendants

Article 5 (fol. 35v-36r): Renata of Lorraine, Duchess of Bavaria, sister of the bride, mentioned; transfer of dowry regulated?; brother of the bride mentioned; debts regulated?, no will mentioned.

Article 6 (fol. 36r): Renunciation of inheritance by the bride to her paternal and maternal inheritance; the bride receives a share of the inheritance if the line of the bride’s brother dies out before her; ratification mentioned; sister of the bride mentioned, right of succession and order of succession regulated; last will of the bride’s brother and mother mentioned

Article 7 (fol. 36r): Donatio proper nuptias in the amount of 100,000 kroner regulated

Article 8 (fol. 36r-36v): Investment of dowry and donatio proper nuptias regulated; widow’s estates including Dransfeld, Sichelnstein, Erichsburg, Dassel, Lüthorst, Burg Brackenberg, Burt Harste regulated, associated rights such as fishing and hunting rights regulated, grain supply regulated; jurisdiction regulated, military regulations?; supplementation in case of deficiency regulated, monasteries mentioned and hospitality for the bride and her servants regulated; rights of use and usufruct established

Article 9 (fol. 36v-37r): If the bride dies before the groom: reversion of the dowry regulated, repayment regulated, payment deadlines regulated, return of the trousseau regulated.

Article 10 (fol. 37r): The bride is free to choose her place of residence on her widow’s estate; necessary items and furnishings are regulated; use of the donatio proper nuptias is regulated; jurisdiction and homage are regulated; penalties for subjects are regulated; hunting, fishing and timber rights are regulated; provision is regulated?; regulations concerning peasants and subjects; poultry and linen are mentioned.

Article 11 (fol. 37r-37v): Regulations concerning the groom’s heirs and descendants.

Article 12 (fol. 37v): If the bride dies: return of the dowry regulated, return of the widow’s property regulated?

Article 13 (fol. 37v): If the bride dies before the groom and there are descendants from the marriage: inheritance of the dowry and other property by the descendants regulated; groom’s right of use regulated

Article 14 (fol. 37v): If the bride dies before the groom and there are no descendants from the marriage: Determination of the bride’s heirs possible, otherwise the dowry falls to the groom, after whose death the dowry falls back to the bride’s family; the groom receives the right of use over the dowry; after the groom’s death, the dowry falls to the bride’s heirs, customary law mentioned

Article 15 (fol. 37v): Content of the contract confirmed

Article 16: French copy of the marriage contract

Regulations on succession to the throne

Article 6 (fol. 36r): Right of succession and inheritance regulated; last will of the bride’s brother and mother mentioned

Regulations on inheritance law

Article 6 (fol. 36r): Renunciation of inheritance by the bride to her paternal and maternal inheritance; the bride receives a share of the inheritance if the line of the bride’s brother dies out before her; Ratification mentioned; bride’s sister mentioned, right of succession and inheritance regulated; last will and testament of the bride’s brother and mother mentioned

Article 12 (fol. 37v): If the bride dies: return of the dowry regulated, return of the widow’s property regulated?

Article 13 (fol. 37v): If the bride dies before the groom and there are descendants from the marriage: inheritance of the dowry and other property by the descendants regulated; groom’s right of use regulated.

Article 14 (fol. 37v): If the bride dies before the groom and there are no descendants from the marriage: Determination of the bride’s heirs is possible, otherwise the dowry falls to the groom, after whose death the dowry falls back to the bride’s family; the groom receives the right of use over the dowry; after the death of the groom, the dowry falls to the bride’s heirs, customary law mentioned.

Regulations on succession to the throne

Article 6 (fol. 36r): Right of succession and inheritance regulated; last will of the bride’s brother and mother mentioned

Regulations on inheritance law

Article 6 (fol. 36r): Renunciation of inheritance by the bride to her paternal and maternal inheritance; the bride receives a share of the inheritance if the line of the bride’s brother dies out before her; Ratification mentioned; bride’s sister mentioned, right of succession and inheritance regulated; last will and testament of the bride’s brother and mother mentioned

Article 12 (fol. 37v): If the bride dies: return of the dowry regulated, return of the widow’s property regulated?

Article 13 (fol. 37v): If the bride dies before the groom and there are descendants from the marriage: inheritance of the dowry and other property by the descendants regulated; groom’s right of use regulated.

Article 14 (fol. 37v): If the bride dies before the groom and there are no descendants from the marriage: Determination of the bride’s heirs is possible, otherwise the dowry falls to the groom, after whose death the dowry falls back to the bride’s family; the groom receives the right of use over the dowry; after the death of the groom, the dowry falls to the bride’s heirs, customary law mentioned.

References

• Archive copy: Hannover HStA NLA Ha Cal. Br. 22 Nr. 1849 (1575 XI 30) Cal. Br. 22 Nr. 1849
• Contract language archive copy: Latin

Recommended citation

Dynastische Eheverträge der frühen Neuzeit. Contract No. 3. Philipps University of Marburg. Available online at https://dynastische-ehevertraege.online.uni-marburg.de/en/vertraege/3.html.

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title = {Dynastische Ehevertr{“a}ge der fr{”u}hen Neuzeit: Contract No. 3},
 url = {https://dynastische-ehevertraege.online.uni-marburg.de/en/vertraege/3.html}
}