Marriage contract no. 312: Braunschweig-Lüneburg-Wolfenbüttel - Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Norburg

Contract content

Preamble: Invocation of God, mutual consent to become engaged and enter into marriage

Article 1: Marriage agreed, confirmation of intention to follow Anthon Ulrich’s advice and enter into a voluntary marriage union, according to Christian tradition

Article 2: Dowry or marriage settlement of 16,000 Reichstalers agreed, to be paid within one year after consummation of the marriage; receipt mentioned

Article 3: August Wilhelm to present jewellery after consummation of the marriage; mornig gift (Grauer Hof) and corresponding prescription mentioned

Article 4: An annual allowance of 800 talers is agreed for Elisabeth, to be paid quarterly in instalments of 200 talers, with receipt

Article 5: Donatio propter nuptias is mentioned; the total amount of 32,000 Reichstalers is to be insured by Anton Ulrich in the Lichtenberg office

Article 6: Life estate is mentioned; In the event of a widow’s dower, Elisabeth is to receive 10,000 Reichstaler annually; if August Wilhelm had acquired a share in the state government before his death, the amount is to be increased to 12,000 Reichstaler; the widow’s dower residence is to be the Lichtenberg office, but Elisabeth is free to continue living in the Grauer Hof or to move between the two houses

Article 7: Dower and life estate mentioned, regulations regarding hunting, fishing and firewood described

Article 8: Officials shall take an oath after consummation of the marriage, also applies in the event of a dower

Article 9: Promise by Anthon Ulrich to furnish the dowry residence accordingly and to pay a sum of 3,000 talers upon taking office; these 3,000 talers must be repaid to the ruling sovereigns at the end of the widow’s dower, if necessary also by the respective heirs; creation of an inventory agreed upon; in the event of damage or defects, the princely chamber shall remedy these

Article 10: Emphasis on the superiority and decision-making power of the provincial government with regard to legal matters relating to the widow’s dower

Article 11: In the event of damage to the dowry property caused by war, fire or other unforeseeable circumstances beyond the widow’s control, which would result in her being unable to receive her full widow’s pension, Anthon Ulrich or one of his descendants shall bear responsibility for this; in this case, the offices of Gebhardshagen and Jerxheim shall provide compensation and maintenance; Regulations regarding servants of the two offices

Article 12: Should August Wilhelm come to the provincial government, he shall be free to improve and extend the privileges that his wife would enjoy.

Article 13: If one party should have incurred debts before or after the marriage, the other party shall have nothing to do with them and cannot be prosecuted for them.

Article 14: If the bride should die before the groom without having produced any joint heirs, the groom shall have access to the marriage settlement for the rest of his life; however, if the groom should die and the bride has not left any other testamentary disposition regarding the marriage settlement, it shall revert to her next of kin.

Article 15: If, upon the death of the groom, there are no biological heirs, the bride shall be able to move into and enjoy her widow’s residence as long as her widowhood status does not change; however, if she remarries, she must give up the widow’s residence, but may be reimbursed for the dowry in the amount of 16,000 talers; Furthermore, provisions shall be made regarding the donation propter nuptias

Article 16: If there are joint heirs who are still minors, the widow may continue to live at the residence of her deceased husband and, alongside other guardians, also exercise guardianship over the minor heirs and participate in the administration of the provincial government

Article 17: In the event that only princesses are born from the marriage, Anthon Ulrich or his successors in government shall provide for their maintenance and take care of their trousseau; the widow’s income shall not be reduced in any way; as long as the children wish to remain with her, the widow shall receive additional funds annually.

Article 18: If children are born from this marriage and the widow also has children from a future marriage who are still alive after her death, the 16,000 talers of marriage money shall be divided equally between the children of both marriages; if no children were born from the second marriage, the marriage settlement would go to the children of the first marriage, but the donation propter nuptias would go to Anthon Ulrich and his heirs or successors in government.

Article 19: Promise by Anthon Ulrich that he and his heirs would allow the bride to remain in the widow’s residence and be protected by them; however, after her death, the widow’s estate should go to him or his heirs or successors, whereas all her possessions that she had not given away during her lifetime or bequeathed in her will should go to her heirs.

Article 20: Further provisions regarding the protection of the bride’s heirs: the widow’s estate shall remain seized until the marriage settlement and inheritance have been paid out.

Article 21: If either of the two should die after consummation of the marriage but before the distribution of the dowry, all provisions set out in the contract that apply to this case shall remain in force; if the bride or groom should die before consummation of the marriage, neither party shall be obliged to make any payments.

Article 22: If something occurs that is not specifically regulated in this marriage contract, the imperial rights, the imperial constitution or the procedures customary in the House of Brunswick shall apply.

Article 23: Final confirmation by both parties to remain faithful to the contract and to comply with it in all respects.

Regulations on succession to the throne

Confessional regulations

Regulations on inheritance law

Article 9: Promise by Anthon Ulrich to furnish the dower residence accordingly and to pay a sum of 3,000 talers upon taking office; these 3,000 talers must be repaid to the ruling sovereigns at the end of the dower, if necessary also by the respective heirs; agreement to draw up an inventory; in the event of damage or defects, the princely chamber shall remedy these

Article 14: If the bride should die before the groom without having produced any joint heirs, the groom shall have access to the marriage settlement for the rest of his life; however, if the groom should die and the bride has not left any other testamentary disposition regarding the marriage settlement, it shall revert to her next heirs.

Article 15: If, upon the death of the groom, there are no biological heirs, the bride shall be able to move into and enjoy her widow’s residence as long as her widowhood status remains unchanged; however, if she remarries, she must give up the widow’s residence, but may be reimbursed for the dowry in the amount of 16,000 talers; further regulations regarding the donation propter nuptias have been agreed upon.

Article 16: If there are joint heirs who are still minors, the widow may continue to live in the residence of her deceased husband and, alongside other guardians, also exercise guardianship over the minor heirs and participate in the administration of the provincial government.

Article 17: In the event that only princesses are born from the marriage, Anthon Ulrich or his successors in government shall provide for their maintenance and take care of their trousseau; the widow’s income shall not be reduced in any way; as long as the children wish to remain with her, the widow shall receive additional funds annually.

Article 18: If children are born from this marriage and the widow also has children from a future marriage who are still alive after her death, the 16,000 talers of marriage money would be divided equally between the children of both marriages; If no children were born from the second marriage, the marriage settlement would go to the children of the first marriage, but the donation propter nuptias would go to Anthon Ulrich and his heirs or successors in government.

Article 19: Promise by Anthon Ulrich that he and his heirs would allow the bride to remain in the widow’s residence and be protected by them; However, after her death, the widow’s estate shall go to him or his heirs or successors, whereas all her legacies, which she has not given away during her lifetime or passed on by will, shall be due to her heirs.

Article 20: Further provisions regarding the security of the bride’s heirs: widow’s property shall remain seized until the marriage settlement and estate have been paid out.

Commentary

Original contract text not divided into articles.

References

• Archive copy: NLA WO, 3 Urk, 2 Nr. 103
• Contract language archive copy: German

Recommended citation

Dynastische Eheverträge der frühen Neuzeit. Contract No. 312. Philipps University of Marburg. Available online at https://dynastische-ehevertraege.online.uni-marburg.de/en/vertraege/312.html.

@misc{ Dynastische Ehevertr{“a}ge der fr{”u}hen Neuzeit, 
title = {Dynastische Ehevertr{“a}ge der fr{”u}hen Neuzeit: Contract No. 312},
 url = {https://dynastische-ehevertraege.online.uni-marburg.de/en/vertraege/312.html}
}