Marriage contract no. 303: Siebenbürgen - Österreich

Contract content

Preamble: Marriage for the welfare and benefit of the Christian Republic; delegation of the groom to the mother of the bride, equipped with powers of attorney, attests to this; naming of the actors and envoys

Art. 1: Dowry and donation propter nuptias regulated: the bride’s family shall provide 45,000 guilders as dowry, plus 10,000 guilders from the will of the bride’s maternal grandmother, Anna of Austria; donation propter nuptias by the groom in the amount of 55,000 guilders

Art. 2: The groom undertakes to spend 60,000 guilders on the bride’s trousseau; investment of funds in the Făgăraș office; homage regulated; replacement of Făgăraș in the event of destruction or damage within one year; mutual exchange of confirmations of receipt of funds before the marriage

Art. 3: In the event of the bride’s death before her husband without children: the husband’s right of use of the donation propter nuptias and dowry; after his death, both fall to the family of the original owner; in the event of the bride’s death before her husband with children: the children inherit the donation propter nuptias and dowry; the paraphernalia purchased with the 60,000 guilders remain in the possession of the bride’s heirs in both cases

In the event of the death of the groom with or without children: the bride retains the right to use the donation propter nuptias, dowry and Făgăraș as long as she remains a widow; the donation propter nuptias reverts to the groom’s family; the bride may also dispose of the 60,000 guilders and 10,000 guilders by will even after her death; if no disposition is made, the 70,000 guilders go to the next heir

In the event of the bride’s death, Făgăraș may be used by her heirs until the full amount of the dowry and trousseau has been paid

Inheritance rules for other items in the bride’s possession

Art. 4: Waiver of the bride’s paternal inheritance regulated

Art. 5: Regulation of the bride’s dower: Upon the death of the groom, the bride shall also have control over Wynar Castle, the Monora area and Enyed Castle; the widow is granted the right to live outside her dower and still receive her monetary payments.

Art. 6: The bride may hire or dismiss court servants at her own discretion; the groom shall pay for their upkeep

Art. 7: The bride may freely dispose of the number of court servants

Art. 8: Hand money in the amount of 2,000 ducats per annum

Art. 9: The articles of this contract shall be valid upon marriage, but the groom shall reconfirm the contract after the bride’s transfer

Art. 10: Wedding day set for 11 June 1595

Art. 11: The groom shall have the contract ratified upon the first arrival of an envoy

Art. 12: Conclusion of the contract in the absence of the groom mentioned again; validity of the contract confirmed; signatures and seals of the persons involved

Regulations on inheritance law

Section 4: Waiver of the bride’s right to her father’s inheritance regulated

References

• Archive copy: AT-OeStA/HHStA UR FUK 1466/1,2
• Contract language archive copy: Latin

Recommended citation

Dynastische Eheverträge der frühen Neuzeit. Contract No. 303. Philipps University of Marburg. Available online at https://dynastische-ehevertraege.online.uni-marburg.de/en/vertraege/303.html.

@misc{ Dynastische Ehevertr{“a}ge der fr{”u}hen Neuzeit, 
title = {Dynastische Ehevertr{“a}ge der fr{”u}hen Neuzeit: Contract No. 303},
 url = {https://dynastische-ehevertraege.online.uni-marburg.de/en/vertraege/303.html}
}