Marriage contract no. 331: Pfalz-Hilpoltstein - Hessen-Darmstadt

Contract content

Preface (fol. 02r): Marriage decided; consent mentioned

Article 1 (fol. 02r-02v): Cohabitation regulated

Article 2 (fol. 02v-03r): The dowry amounts to 20,000 guilders; trousseau regulated; death of the bride’s mother mentioned and inheritance regulated; paraphernalia regulated; inheritance fraternisation mentioned; bride’s renunciation of inheritance regulated, groom’s consent regulated; if the male heirs of the bride’s father die: the 20,000 guilders of the bride’s mother’s dowry shall be inherited by the bride and her sisters; if all male heirs of the bride’s line die: The bride receives the inheritance share of a daughter.

Article 3 (fol. 03r): Morning gift (jewellery, 4,000 guilders) regulated, annual interest of 240 guilders regulated; if the bride dies and there are no physical heirs from the marriage: The morning gift goes to the groom’s heirs, his brothers or their heirs.

Article 4 (fol. 03v): Right of use of the morning gift regulated.

Article 5 (fol. 03v): Receipt of the dowry regulated, the donation propter nuptias amounts to 20,000 guilders, referral and insurance regulated; Widow’s property regulated (widow’s residence of Dorothea Maria), 20,000 guilders principal sum regulated, additional 1,000 guilders annually regulated.

Article 6 (fol. 03v-04r): Widow’s property of Dorothea Maria regulated; Regulations for the death of Dorothea Maria specified; donation propter nuptias mentioned, appurtenances etc. mentioned, register regulated, referral regulated, use regulated?

Article 7 (fol. 04r-04v): Widow’s estate regulated; prescription regulated; release from debts of the widow’s estate regulated

Article 8 (fol. 04v-05r): Use, privileges, etc. of the widow’s estate regulated; register regulated; assumption of the dower regulated; court regulations regulated; corvée labour regulated; disposition of surpluses from the contract regulated; in case of insufficient income: reimbursement regulated; Praise, oath and homage of officials and subjects on the widow’s property regulated; lifelong use of the widow’s dower regulated; obedience of subjects regulated

Article 9 (fol. 05r): In the event of the widow’s property being encumbered with debts: settlement regulated

Article 10 (fol. 05r-05v): Regulation of the filling of parishes on the widow’s estates

Article 11 (fol. 05v): Regulation of the granting of knightly fiefs?

Article 12 (fol. 05v): The subjects on the widow’s estates shall be allowed to retain their freedoms, customs, etc.

Article 12 (fol. 05v): Protection and guardianship of the bride on the widow’s estates regulated

Article 13 (fol. 05v): Opening, allocation, etc. of the widow’s estates by the bride excluded; opening of the widow’s estates by the groom’s heirs and at their expense possible, indemnification of the bride regulated, settlement and deadlines regulated

Article 14 (fol. 05v): Structural maintenance of the widow’s property regulated

Article 15 (fol. 06r): Provincial parliaments, jurisdiction, etc. regulated; the widow’s property shall not be burdened with debts

Article 16 (fol. 06r): If the groom dies without male heirs: August (brother of the groom) receives the inheritance; regulations on widow’s dower?; compensation for the widow regulated; regulations on donation propter nuptias and widow’s dower letter mentioned; other widow’s residence possible, regulations mentioned

Article 17 (fol. 06r-06v): If the groom dies before the wedding and there are minor heirs: guardianship according to the usual rules of the House of Pfalz; bride as legitima tutrix with regard to education regulated

Article 18 (fol. 06v): If there are joint heirs or not: Access to widow’s property regulated, use during widowhood regulated; Receipt of trousseau, other possessions, etc. regulated.

Article 19 (fol. 06v-07r): Food supplies at the widow’s residence regulated; Regulations for transfer, etc. specified; Inventory regulated; Regulation of the condition of the widow’s residence, in case of defects: regulation of improvements.

Article 20 (fol. 07r-07v): If the widow remarries: redemption of the widow’s dower with 20,000 guilders of the donation propter nuptias or an annual and lifelong pension of 1,000 guilders; Payment regulations specified; lifetime use regulated; after the death of the bride: inheritance by descendants from first marriage regulated, if no descendants exist: inheritance by the groom’s heirs regulated; transfer of widow’s property regulated; receipt of 1,000 guilders regulated; Regulations on the investment of the dowry and interest mentioned; inheritance to joint heirs regulated; if there are descendants from the second marriage: dowry and paraphernalia are inherited by the descendants from the first and second marriages; if there are no descendants from the first marriage: inheritance to the descendants from the second marriage regulated

Article 21 (fol. 07v): Inheritance of the paternal estate in addition to the donation propter nuptias to the descendants from the first marriage regulated?

Article 22 (fol. 07v): The 20,000 guilders of the donation propter nuptias sum shall pass to the groom’s heirs after the bride’s death

Article 23 (fol. 07v): If the bride dies a widow without biological heirs: reversion of the dowry to the bride’s father and his heirs regulated; the donation propter nuptias and the widow’s property remain with the groom’s family; seizure of the widow’s property until repayment regulated

Article 24 (fol. 07v): If the bride dies before the groom and there are no common descendants: the groom receives the lifelong right of use of the dowry; after the death of the groom: reversion to the bride’s father and his heirs regulated, payment arrangements specified

Article 25 (fol. 08r): Inheritance of the trousseau and other possessions of the bride according to her will; if there are descendants: inheritance together with the dowry to the descendants regulated

Article 26 (fol. 08r): If the widow remarries and there are descendants from both marriages: inheritance of the dowry, trousseau and other possessions of the bride to the descendants from the first and second marriages is regulated.

Article 27 (fol. 08r): Inheritance of wedding gifts and other gifts to the joint descendants is regulated.

Article 28 (fol. 08r): If the bride dies without descendants: inheritance of the trousseau is regulated, half goes to the bride’s father and his heirs, the other half goes to the groom, inheritance is regulated; right of use is regulated

Article 28 (fol. 08r-08v): Settlement of any debts regulated; inheritance by fraternisation mentioned

Article 29 (fol. 08v): If the bride or groom dies before consummation of the marriage: marriage contract invalid; if the bride or groom dies after consummation of the marriage but before the transfer of the dowry: marriage contract valid

Article 30 (fol. 08v): Compliance with the contract promised; provision of a widow’s dower mentioned

Article 31 (fol. 08v): Signatures and sealing regulated; consent of the bride and the bride’s mother mentioned

Article 32 (fol. 09r): Consent of the groom’s brothers and the Landgraves of Hesse regulated; no actions contrary to the marriage contract regulated

Article 33 (fol. 09r): Signatures and sealing regulated; dating

Regulations on succession to the throne

Confessional regulations

Regulations on inheritance law

Article 2 (fol. 02v-03r): The dowry amounts to 20,000 guilders; trousseau regulated; death of the bride’s mother mentioned and inheritance regulated; paraphernalia regulated; inheritance fraternisation mentioned; bride’s renunciation of inheritance regulated, groom’s consent regulated; if the male heirs of the bride’s father die: the 20,000 guilders of the bride’s mother’s dowry shall be inherited by the bride and her sisters; if all male heirs of the bride’s line die: The bride receives the inheritance share of a daughter.

Article 3 (fol. 03r): Morning gift (jewellery, 4,000 guilders) regulated, annual interest of 240 guilders regulated; if the bride dies and there are no physical heirs from the marriage: The morning gift goes to the groom’s heirs, his brothers or their heirs.

Article 16 (fol. 06r): If the groom dies without male heirs: August (brother of the groom) receives the inheritance; regulations on widow’s dower?; compensation for the widow regulated; regulations on donation propter nuptias and widow’s dower letter mentioned; other widow’s residence possible, regulations mentioned

Article 17 (fol. 06r-06v): If the groom dies before the wedding and there are minor heirs: guardianship according to the usual rules of the House of Pfalz; bride as legitima tutrix with regard to education regulated

Article 18 (fol. 06v): If there are joint heirs or not: Access to widow’s property regulated, use during widowhood regulated; Receipt of trousseau, other possessions, etc. regulated.

Article 20 (fol. 07r-07v): If the widow remarries: redemption of the widow’s dower with 20,000 guilders of the donation propter nuptias or an annual and lifelong pension of 1,000 guilders; Payment regulations specified; lifetime use regulated; after the death of the bride: inheritance by descendants from first marriage regulated, if no descendants exist: inheritance by the groom’s heirs regulated; transfer of widow’s property regulated; receipt of 1,000 guilders regulated; Regulations on the investment of the dowry and interest mentioned; inheritance to joint heirs regulated; if there are descendants from the second marriage: dowry and paraphernalia are inherited by the descendants from the first and second marriages; if there are no descendants from the first marriage: inheritance to the descendants from the second marriage regulated

Article 20 (fol. 07r-07v): If the widow remarries: redemption of the widow’s dower with 20,000 guilders of the donation propter nuptias or an annual and lifelong pension of 1,000 guilders; Payment regulations specified; lifetime use regulated; after the death of the bride: inheritance by descendants from first marriage regulated, if no descendants exist: inheritance by the groom’s heirs regulated; transfer of widow’s property regulated; receipt of 1,000 guilders regulated; Regulations on the investment of the dowry and interest mentioned; inheritance to joint heirs regulated; if there are descendants from the second marriage: dowry and paraphernalia are inherited by the descendants from the first and second marriages; if there are no descendants from the first marriage: inheritance to the descendants from the second marriage regulated

Article 21 (fol. 07v): Inheritance of the paternal estate in addition to the donation propter nuptias to the descendants from the first marriage regulated?

Article 22 (fol. 07v): The 20,000 guilders of the donation propter nuptias sum shall pass to the groom’s heirs after the bride’s death

Article 23 (fol. 07v): If the bride dies a widow without biological heirs: reversion of the dowry to the bride’s father and his heirs regulated; the donation propter nuptias and the widow’s property remain with the groom’s family; seizure of the widow’s property until repayment regulated

Article 24 (fol. 07v): If the bride dies before the groom and there are no common descendants: the groom receives the lifelong right of use of the dowry; after the death of the groom: reversion to the bride’s father and his heirs regulated, payment arrangements specified

Article 25 (fol. 08r): Inheritance of the trousseau and other possessions of the bride according to her will; if there are descendants: inheritance together with the dowry to the descendants regulated

Article 26 (fol. 08r): If the widow remarries and there are descendants from both marriages: inheritance of the dowry, trousseau and other possessions of the bride to the descendants from the first and second marriages is regulated.

Article 27 (fol. 08r): Inheritance of wedding gifts and other gifts to the joint descendants is regulated.

Article 28 (fol. 08r): If the bride dies without descendants: inheritance of the trousseau is regulated, half goes to the bride’s father and his heirs, the other half goes to the groom, inheritance is regulated; right of use is regulated

Estates involved

Article 32 (fol. 09r): Consent of the groom’s brothers and the Landgraves of Hesse regulated; no actions contrary to the marriage contract regulated

External authorities involved

Article 32 (fol. 09r): Consent of the groom’s brothers and the Landgraves of Hesse regulated; no actions contrary to the marriage contract regulated

Ratifications, confirmations, approvals

Article 31 (fol. 08v): Signatures and sealing regulated; consent of the bride and the bride’s mother mentioned

Article 32 (fol. 09r): Consent of the groom’s brothers and the Landgraves of Hesse regulated; no actions contrary to the marriage contract regulated

Text reference to past events

Further contracts between contracting parties

Commentary

Original contract divided into articles

The file contains additional documents alongside the marriage contract (correspondence, official letters, appendices, inspections, lists, etc.).

Literature

References

• Archive copy: HStAD D 4 Nr. 147_1
• Contract language archive copy: German
• Digitized archive copy: https://arcinsys.hessen.de/arcinsys/digitalMediaViewer.action?archivalDescriptionId=2848772

Recommended citation

Dynastische Eheverträge der frühen Neuzeit. Contract No. 331. Philipps University of Marburg. Available online at https://dynastische-ehevertraege.online.uni-marburg.de/en/vertraege/331.html.

@misc{ Dynastische Ehevertr{“a}ge der fr{”u}hen Neuzeit, 
title = {Dynastische Ehevertr{“a}ge der fr{”u}hen Neuzeit: Contract No. 331},
 url = {https://dynastische-ehevertraege.online.uni-marburg.de/en/vertraege/331.html}
}