Marriage contract no. 328: Hessen-Rheinfels - Pfalz

Contract content

Preamble (p. 03): Marriage decided

Article 1 (pp. 03-04): Consummating of the marriage regulated

Article 2 (p. 04): Dowry of 32,000 guilders regulated; trousseau regulated, further financial arrangements

Article 3 (p. 04): Renunciation of inheritance by the bride of all paternal, maternal and fraternal inheritance regulated; consent of the groom mentioned

Article 4 (p. 04-05): Consummated marriage mentioned; jewels and 300 guilders annual interest as morning gift regulated; 6,000 guilders principal also regulated in widowhood

Article 5 (p. 05): Donatio propter nuptias of 32,000 guilders stipulated; income from donatio propter nuptias and donatio propter nuptias stipulated

Article 6 (pp. 05-06): Investment of sums in property stipulated; widow’s property, appurtenances, rights, privileges, etc. stipulated

Article 7 (p. 06): 3,200 guilders of annual income regulated; regulations on variable revenues

Article 8 (p. 07): Praise and oath of the officials on the widow’s estates regulated

Article 9 (p. 07): Obedience and oath of subjects on widow’s estates regulated

Article 10 (p. 07): If the widow’s estates are encumbered with debts: indemnification of the bride regulated, payment regulated

Article 11 (p. 07): Feudal grants on widow’s estates regulated

Article 12 (p. 08): The subjects on the widow’s estates shall retain their freedoms, rights, etc.

Article 13 (p. 08): Opening of the widow’s estates regulated

Article 14 (p. 08): Protection of the bride on the widow’s estates regulated

Article 15 (p. 08-09): Opening, granting, etc. of widow’s estates by the bride without the consent of the Landgrave or his heirs is excluded, complaints are excluded

Article 16 (p. 09): If the estates do not yield 3,200 guilders: reimbursement regulated

Article 17 (p. 09): Braubach regulated as a fief

Article 18 (p. 09): Upon departure from widow’s estates: reimbursement regulated

Article 19 (p. 09-10): If the groom dies before the bride and there are joint, underage heirs: Guardianship regulated according to the rules of the House of Hesse; Access to and use of the dower and donation propter nuptias regulated; Food and household goods regulated; Receipt of house tax, gifts, etc. regulated

Article 20 (p. 10): Income from widow’s property upon accession regulated

Article 21 (p. 10): Reimbursement of missing supplies and household goods regulated

Article 22 (pp. 10-11): Structural maintenance of the widow’s property regulated

Article 23 (p. 11): If the bride remarries after the death of the groom: Redemption of widow’s property with a one-time payment of 32,000 guilders and a lifetime annual payment of 1,600 guilders instead of the donatio propter nuptias; after the death of the bride: inheritance of the sums to the joint heirs from the first marriage or their heirs, etc.

Article 24 (p. 11): If the bride remarries after the death of the groom and there are heirs from the second marriage: The 32,000 guilders of the dowry is inherited by the descendants from both the first and second marriages.

Article 25 (pp. 11-12): If there are no common descendants from the first marriage: Widowhood period regulated; reversion of the dowry regulated; the donation propter nuptias reverts to the groom’s next heirs.

Article 26 (p. 12): Inheritance of movable property regulated.

Article 27 (p. 12): Rights of disposal regulated until the 32,000 guilders have been repaid.

Article 28 (p. 13): If the bride dies before the groom and there are no joint descendants: The groom receives the lifelong right of disposal over the dowry; after the death of the groom: The dowry falls to the bride’s next heirs

Article 29 (p. 13): Payment of debts regulated

Article 30 (p. 13): Settlement of debts incurred during the widowhood period after the death of the bride

Article 31 (p. 13): If the bride or groom dies before consummation of the marriage: Marriage contract invalid

Article 32 (pp. 13-14): Promise to comply with the contract; support for the marriage contract by the groom’s brothers regulated

Article 33 (p. 14): Signatures and seals mentioned

Article 34 (p. 14): Consent and support for the marriage contract by the Landgraves of Hesse; signatures, date

Regulations on succession to the throne

Confessional regulations

Regulations on inheritance law

Article 3 (p. 04): Renunciation of inheritance by the bride of all paternal, maternal and fraternal inheritance regulated; consent of the groom mentioned

Article 19 (p. 09-10): If the groom dies before the bride and there are joint, underage heirs: Guardianship regulated according to the rules of the House of Hesse; Access to and use of the dower and donation propter nuptias regulated; Food and household goods regulated; Receipt of house tax, gifts, etc. regulated

Article 23 (p. 11): If the bride remarries after the death of the groom: Redemption of widow’s property with a one-time payment of 32,000 guilders and a lifetime annual payment of 1,600 guilders instead of the donatio propter nuptias; after the death of the bride: inheritance of the sums to the joint heirs from the first marriage or their heirs, etc.

Article 24 (p. 11): If the bride remarries after the death of the groom and there are heirs from the second marriage: The 32,000 guilders of the dowry is inherited by the descendants from both the first and second marriages.

Article 25 (pp. 11-12): If there are no common descendants from the first marriage: Widowhood period regulated; reversion of the dowry regulated; the donation propter nuptias reverts to the groom’s next heirs.

Article 26 (p. 12): Inheritance of movable property regulated.

Article 27 (p. 12): Rights of disposal regulated until the 32,000 guilders have been repaid.

Article 25 (pp. 11-12): If there are no common descendants from the first marriage: Widowhood period regulated; reversion of the dowry regulated; the donation propter nuptias reverts to the groom’s next heirs.

Article 26 (p. 12): Inheritance of movable property regulated.

Article 27 (p. 12): Rights of disposal regulated until the 32,000 guilders have been repaid.

Ratifications, confirmations, approvals

Article 32 (pp. 13-14): Promise to comply with the contract; support for the marriage contract by the groom’s brothers regulated

Article 34 (p. 14): Consent and support for the marriage contract by the Landgraves of Hesse; signatures, date

Commentary

Original contract divided into articles

Contract pages not numbered/paginated

Seal present

Literature

References

• Archive copy: HStAD B 1 Nr. 80
• Contract language archive copy: German
• Digitized archive copy: https://dfg-viewer.de/show/?set[mets]=https://arcinsys.hessen.de/arcinsys/mets?detailid=v3539504>

Recommended citation

Dynastische Eheverträge der frühen Neuzeit. Contract No. 328. Philipps University of Marburg. Available online at https://dynastische-ehevertraege.online.uni-marburg.de/en/vertraege/328.html.

@misc{ Dynastische Ehevertr{“a}ge der fr{”u}hen Neuzeit, 
title = {Dynastische Ehevertr{“a}ge der fr{”u}hen Neuzeit: Contract No. 328},
 url = {https://dynastische-ehevertraege.online.uni-marburg.de/en/vertraege/328.html}
}