Marriage contract no. 323: Nassau-Dillenburg - Nassau-Dietz

Contract content

(fol. 02r): Invocation of God

Preamble (fol. 02r-02v): Marriage decided, advice and consent of the bride’s mother

Article 1 (fol. 02v-03r): Marriage decided

Article 2 (fol. 03r): Reformed blessing, consummation in the princely residence of Orange

Article 3 (fol. 03r-03v): Paternal disposition (19/29 June 1695), ratification by the bride’s brother (15 April 1609), dowry (12,000 Reichstaler), payment arrangements, deadlines, usufruct; after the death of the bride, groom and their joint descendants: reversion of the dowry to the male line of the House of Dietz, after their extinction: inheritance of the dowry by the bride’s closest blood relatives; trousseau

Article 4 (fol. 03v-04r): morning gift (bond: 5,000 Reichstaler, interest)

Article 5 (fol. 04r): Donatio propter nuptias (12,000 Reichstaler); entire dowry (24,000 Reichstaler); after the death of the bride and groom without descendants: reversion

Article 6 (fol. 04r-5r): Pocket money and gambling money: (3,000 Reichstaler annually, 750 Reichstaler per quarter), payment arrangements; Servants (salaries, orders, etc.)

Article 7 (05r-06r): If the groom dies before the bride and there are or are not joint descendants: Annual income (10,000 Reichstaler from the estates of Mengerskirchen and Ellar); Widow’s property (rights of use, etc.), mortgage, securities, maintenance, rights of use, list of property and pensions; if the 10,000 Reichstaler are not achieved: reimbursement; settlement/reimbursement in the event of encumbrances on the widow’s property, regulations for times of war, reimbursement of expenses, etc.

Article 8 (fol. 06r-06v): If the groom dies before the bride and there are joint descendants: The bride may reside in Dillenburg Castle until the eldest son assumes the throne, after which she may reside in the widow’s residence (Herborn Castle), trousseau of the widow’s residence, use of the dower, protection of the widow and the widow’s estate

Article 9 (fol. 06v-07r): Homage, obedience of subjects, etc. on the widow’s estates

Article 10 (fol. 07r-07v): Appointment/dismissal of servants on the widow’s estates

Article 11 (fol. 07v): Wood, structural condition of the buildings on the widow’s estates

Article 12 (fol. 07v-08r): Supplies on the widow’s estates, silver tableware, after the death of the bride: reversion of half of the silver tableware

Article 13 (fol. 08r-08v): The bride receives her rights of use and inheritance

Article 14 (fol. 08v): If the bride dies before the groom and there are joint descendants and the groom remarries: inventory of the bride’s possessions, inheritance exclusively to the descendants from the first marriage, disposition of the bride

Article 15 (fol. 08v-09r): If the groom dies before the bride and there are or are not joint heirs: receipt of dowry and widow’s dower, lifelong right of use

Article 16 (fol. 09r): Regulations on debts relating to the paraphernal goods

Article 17 (fol. 09r): If the groom dies before the bride: provision for the descendants

Article 18 (fol. 09r-09v): If there are joint daughters: investment of 1,000 Reichstalers, annual income, maintenance; in the case of minor male and/or female descendants: guardianship of the bride, contingent regency of the bride, administration of the Principality of Dillenburg, for the period of widowhood; upbringing of the descendants, including in the Reformed faith

Article 19 (fol. 09v-10r): If the bride remarries after the death of the groom and there are or are not common descendants from the first marriage: redemption of the widow’s dower; until payment is made: possession and usufruct of the widow’s dower remain with the bride, income regulations

Article 20 (fol. 10r-11r): If the groom dies before the bride or the bride dies before the groom, after consummation of the marriage and before payment of the dowry: marriage contract valid; compliance with the contract promised, renunciation of all exceptions and benefits; consent of the emperor; four copies of the contract; place, date, signatures

Regulations on succession to the throne

Article 8 (fol. 06r-06v): If the groom dies before the bride and there are joint descendants: The bride may reside in Dillenburg Castle until the eldest son assumes the throne, after which she may reside in the widow’s residence (Herborn Castle), trousseau of the widow’s residence, use of the dower, protection of the widow and the widow’s estate

Article 18 (fol. 09r-09v): If there are joint daughters: investment of 1,000 Reichstalers, annual income, maintenance; in the case of minor male and/or female descendants: guardianship of the bride, contingent regency of the bride, administration of the Principality of Dillenburg, for the period of widowhood; upbringing of the descendants, including in the Reformed faith

Confessional regulations

Article 2 (fol. 03r): Reformed blessing, consummation in the princely residence of Orange

Article 18 (fol. 09r-09v): If there are joint daughters: investment of 1,000 Reichstalers, annual income, maintenance; in the case of minor male and/or female descendants: guardianship of the bride, contingent regency of the bride, administration of the Principality of Dillenburg, for the period of widowhood; upbringing of the descendants, including in the Reformed faith

Regulations on inheritance law

Article 3 (fol. 03r-03v): Paternal disposition (19/29 June 1695), ratification by the bride’s brother (15 April 1609), dowry (12,000 Reichstaler), payment arrangements, deadlines, usufruct; after the death of the bride, groom and their joint descendants: reversion of the dowry to the male line of the House of Dietz, after their extinction: inheritance of the dowry by the bride’s closest blood relatives; trousseau

Article 5 (fol. 04r): Donatio propter nuptias (12,000 Reichstaler); entire dowry (24,000 Reichstaler); after the death of the bride and groom without descendants: reversion

Article 12 (fol. 07v-08r): Supplies on the widow’s estates, silver tableware, after the death of the bride: reversion of half of the silver tableware

Article 13 (fol. 08r-08v): The bride receives her rights of use and inheritance

Article 18 (fol. 09r-09v): If there are joint daughters: investment of 1,000 Reichstalers, annual income, maintenance; in the case of minor male and/or female descendants: guardianship of the bride, contingent regency of the bride, administration of the Principality of Dillenburg, for the period of widowhood; upbringing of the descendants, including in the Reformed faith

External authorities involved

Article 20 (fol. 10r-11r): If the groom dies before the bride or the bride dies before the groom, after consummation of the marriage and before payment of the dowry: marriage contract valid; compliance with the contract promised, renunciation of all exceptions and benefits; consent of the emperor; four copies of the contract; place, date, signatures

Ratifications, confirmations, approvals

Preamble (fol. 02r-02v): Marriage decided, advice and consent of the bride’s mother

Article 3 (fol. 03r-03v): Paternal disposition (19/29 June 1695), ratification by the bride’s brother (15 April 1609), dowry (12,000 Reichstaler), payment arrangements, deadlines, usufruct; after the death of the bride, groom and their joint descendants: reversion of the dowry to the male line of the House of Dietz, after their extinction: inheritance of the dowry by the bride’s closest blood relatives; trousseau

Article 20 (fol. 10r-11r): If the groom dies before the bride or the bride dies before the groom, after consummation of the marriage and before payment of the dowry: marriage contract valid; compliance with the contract promised, renunciation of all exceptions and benefits; consent of the emperor; four copies of the contract; place, date, signatures

Text reference to past events

Article 3 (fol. 03r-03v): Paternal disposition (19/29 June 1695), ratification by the bride’s brother (15 April 1609), dowry (12,000 Reichstaler), payment arrangements, deadlines, usufruct; after the death of the bride, groom and their joint descendants: reversion of the dowry to the male line of the House of Dietz, after their extinction: inheritance of the dowry by the bride’s closest blood relatives; trousseau

Commentary

Original contract divided into articles

No laminating/numbering of contract pages

Literature

References

• Archive copy: HHStAW Bestand 3036 Nr. KHA Inv. A 3 Nr. 1228
• Contract language archive copy: German
• Digitized archive copy: https://arcinsys.hessen.de/arcinsys/detailAction?detailid=v1338846

Recommended citation

Dynastische Eheverträge der frühen Neuzeit. Contract No. 323. Philipps University of Marburg. Available online at https://dynastische-ehevertraege.online.uni-marburg.de/en/vertraege/323.html.

@misc{ Dynastische Ehevertr{“a}ge der fr{”u}hen Neuzeit, 
title = {Dynastische Ehevertr{“a}ge der fr{”u}hen Neuzeit: Contract No. 323},
 url = {https://dynastische-ehevertraege.online.uni-marburg.de/en/vertraege/323.html}
}