Marriage contract no. 311: Braunschweig-Lüneburg-Wolfenbüttel - Schleswig-Holstein-Gottorf

Contract content

Preamble: Invocation of God, intention to marry announced

Article 1: Marriage agreed

Article 2: Dowry of 20,000 Reichstalers agreed, receipt to be issued mentioned, sum to be paid in one instalment

Article 3: Consent to the bride’s renunciation of inheritance required

Article 4: Mornig gift to be paid after consummation of the marriage

Article 5: Life estate in the event of widowhood mentioned, Anton Ulrich to pay an annual widow’s pension of 6,000 Reichstalers; to be increased by a further 4,000 Reichstalers if the groom becomes sovereign before his death

Article 6: The widow’s residence shall be Schöningen Castle, mention of a corresponding widow’s pension and life annuity

Article 7: If damage is caused to the widow’s pension or if the widow’s pension cannot generate sufficient income, the provincial government or its successors shall be liable for this. In this case, the offices of Jerxheim and Vogtsdalen shall pay appropriate compensation.

Article 8: In the event of the premature death of the bride, the marriage settlement and all bequests shall be available to the groom for the rest of his life, as long as no heirs have been born from the marriage.

Article 9: Reversion in the event of the groom’s death regulated.

Article 10: If children have been born from the marriage, they shall, in the event of the premature death of the groom, be placed under the guardianship of their mother for as long as they are minors. The mother shall also be responsible for their upbringing, with the costs to be borne by the ruling sovereigns.

Article 11: Widow’s dower and widow’s pension shall be retained as long as the widow’s status does not change.

Article 12: If the widow remarries, her marriage allowance and property shall remain intact. If further children are born from this marriage, a fair distribution between children from the first marriage and other marriages shall be regulated in the event of inheritance.

Article 13: Revocation in the event of Sophie’s death without further heirs from a second marriage mentioned.

Article 14: If joint heirs from this marriage should die, or if the marriage should remain childless, the dowry would go to the sovereign of Brunswick-Lüneburg if the widow had possessed her widow’s dower for 10 years.

Article 15: Other movable and immovable property shall pass to her testamentary or next heirs.

Article 16: Mention that all legal cases that could not be settled in this contract should be dealt with according to imperial law, the imperial constitution and the tradition of the House of Lüneburg

Article 17: Assurance by the contracting parties to abide by the content, mention of two copies of the contract

Confessional regulations

Article 11: The bride may practise her faith and dispose of the ministers/priests.

Regulations on inheritance law

Article 3: Consent to the bride’s renunciation of inheritance required

Article 12: If the widow remarries, she shall retain her marriage allowance and property. If further children are born from this marriage, a fair distribution between children from the first marriage and other marriages shall be regulated in the event of inheritance

Article 14: If joint heirs from this marriage should die, or if the marriage should remain childless, the dowry would go to the sovereign of Brunswick-Lüneburg if the widow has possessed her widow’s dower for 10 years

Article 15: Other movable and immovable property shall pass to her testamentary or next heirs

External authorities involved

Article 7: In the event of damage to the Wittum or if the Wittum is unable to generate sufficient income, the state government or its successors shall be liable. In this case, the offices of Jerxheim and Vogtsdalen shall pay appropriate compensation.

References

• Archive copy: NLA WO, 3 Urk, 2 Nr. 97; LASH, Abt. 7, Nr. 152
• Contract language archive copy: German

Recommended citation

Dynastische Eheverträge der frühen Neuzeit. Contract No. 311. Philipps University of Marburg. Available online at https://dynastische-ehevertraege.online.uni-marburg.de/en/vertraege/311.html.

@misc{ Dynastische Ehevertr{“a}ge der fr{”u}hen Neuzeit, 
title = {Dynastische Ehevertr{“a}ge der fr{”u}hen Neuzeit: Contract No. 311},
 url = {https://dynastische-ehevertraege.online.uni-marburg.de/en/vertraege/311.html}
}