Marriage contract no. 302: Dänemark - Hessen-Kassel

Contract content

Preamble: Contract to strengthen the Danish ‘tribe’ and consolidate blood ties; consent of the bride’s parents to the marriage

1 – Mutual marriage vows of the parties; marriage according to ‘Christian custom’

2 – Dowry of 30,000 guilders, payment regulated; trousseau of 10,000 guilders

3 – Mornig gift of 10,000 Reichstaler in Danish currency and a piece of jewellery; investment regulated

4 – Together with the interest income from the mornig gift, the bride will be provided with 6,000 Reichstaler in Danish currency annually as a hand money

5 – Widow’s dower settled; Plön Castle to serve as the widow’s residence; life estate of 36,000 Reichstaler per annum including the mornig gift

6 – Upon the death of the groom, any heirs shall remain with their mother until they reach the age of majority, if she remains a widow; upbringing according to the father’s instructions; additional annual maintenance per child

7 – If the widow leaves Denmark, her dower is limited to 10,000 Reichstaler, Plön Castle is returned and Denmark reserves the right to educate the heirs at the Danish court

8 – Provision of the widow’s residence regulated; Remarriage of the widow regulated: dower is discontinued, dowry and trousseau returned and 8,000 guilders per annum paid to the widow as compensation

9 – Regulations regarding debts in marriage

10 – If the bride dies before the groom, the dowry falls to joint heirs; if there are no joint heirs, the husband retains the right of use for life and it then reverts to the bride’s family; Regulations regarding the return

11 – If one of the spouses dies after the consummation of the marriage but before the monetary payments have been made, they shall nevertheless be made; if one of the spouses dies before the consummation of the marriage, the contract is void; Signing and execution of the contract in two copies

Regulations on inheritance law

10 – If the bride dies before the groom, the dowry shall pass to joint heirs; if there are no joint heirs, the spouse shall retain the right of use for life and it shall then revert to the bride’s family; provisions regarding the return of the dowry

Literature

References

• Archive copy: Rigsarkivet, 202, Kongehuset Frederik 6., Dronning Marie Sophie Frederikke, Nr. 47
• Contract language archive copy: Latin

Recommended citation

Dynastische Eheverträge der frühen Neuzeit. Contract No. 302. Philipps University of Marburg. Available online at https://dynastische-ehevertraege.online.uni-marburg.de/en/vertraege/302.html.

@misc{ Dynastische Ehevertr{“a}ge der fr{”u}hen Neuzeit, 
title = {Dynastische Ehevertr{“a}ge der fr{”u}hen Neuzeit: Contract No. 302},
 url = {https://dynastische-ehevertraege.online.uni-marburg.de/en/vertraege/302.html}
}