Marriage contract no. 353: Württemberg - Brandenburg-Bayreuth

Contract content

Preamble: Naming of the parties involved; marriage to strengthen lasting friendship through blood ties; marriage contracts are concluded in accordance with a preliminary agreement dated 28 February 1744, in which it was agreed that a full marriage ceremony would be held in future; the content of this agreement is repeated: mutual marriage vows

Article 1: Religious matters regulated: Free practice of religion for the bride; assurance of a court chaplain; the Protestant court church shall be available at all times; religion may be practised both in the residence and in the countryside; education of children regulated: the bride has the right to teach children of both sexes

Article 2: Dowry regulated: 25,000 guilders; Bride’s trousseau regulated

Article 3: Bride’s renunciation of inheritance regulated; the claims of Jülich-Kleve are dealt with separately

Article 4: Morning gift regulated: 5,000 Reichstaler; interest regulated; pin money in the amount of 10,000 guilders guaranteed; bride’s court regulated: composition, appointment

Article 5: Financial payments by the groom regulated: donation propter nuptias of 25,000 guilders regulated; widow’s dower regulated: 24,000 guilders life annuity; widow’s residence guaranteed; investment of funds regulated; income from the office of Neuenstadt am Kocher and, if necessary, from the offices of Weinsperg and Möckmühl; jurisdiction; servants; replacement; rights of use; inventory of the residence; surplus; deliveries in kind; homage; debts; privileges of the residents; guarantee of protection, prohibition of pledging

Article 6: Deaths: groom dies before bride with heirs: guardianship of children regulated; with or without children: property of the bride regulated; provision for the children regulated

Article 7: Bride dies before groom with children: Children inherit the marriage property; eldest prince inherits the Duchy of Württemberg

Article 8: Bride dies before groom without children: Reversion of the dowry; inheritance of the bride’s property regulated; pledge

Article 9: Remarriage of the bride regulated

Article 10: Inheritance matters in the case of children from a second marriage regulated

Article 11: Future debts of the bride regulated

Article 12: The King of Prussia designated as guarantor of the contract

Article 13: If one of the spouses dies after consummation of the marriage but before payment of the marriage money, the marriage must still be consummated; if one of the spouses dies before consummation of the marriage, the contract is void; gifting each other by will, codicil or donationes mortis causa is freely permitted as long as it does not violate the house contracts

Article 14: Promise to abide by the above; three copies drawn up; place, date, signatures

Regulations on succession to the throne

Article 7: Bride dies before groom with children: children inherit the marriage property; eldest prince inherits the Duchy of Württemberg

Confessional regulations

Article 1: Religious matters regulated: free practice of religion for the bride; assurance of a court chaplain; the Protestant court church shall be appointed at all times; religion may be practised both in the residence and in the countryside; education of children regulated: the bride has the right to teach children of both sexes

Regulations on inheritance law

Article 3: Renunciation of inheritance by the bride regulated; the claims of Jülich-Kleve are dealt with separately

Article 6: Deaths: Groom dies before bride with heirs: Guardianship of children regulated; with or without children: Property of the bride regulated; Provision for children regulated

Article 7: Bride dies before groom with children: children inherit the marriage property; eldest prince inherits the Duchy of Württemberg

Article 8: Bride dies before groom without children: reversion of the dowry; inheritance of the bride’s property regulated; pledge

Article 10: Inheritance matters in the case of children from a second marriage regulated

External authorities involved

Article 12: The King of Prussia designated as guarantor of the contract

References

• Archive copy: GStA Pk, BPH, Urkunden I A Nr 574
• Contract language archive copy: German

Recommended citation

Dynastische Eheverträge der frühen Neuzeit. Contract No. 353. Philipps University of Marburg. Available online at https://dynastische-ehevertraege.online.uni-marburg.de/en/vertraege/353.html.

@misc{ Dynastische Ehevertr{“a}ge der fr{”u}hen Neuzeit, 
title = {Dynastische Ehevertr{“a}ge der fr{”u}hen Neuzeit: Contract No. 353},
 url = {https://dynastische-ehevertraege.online.uni-marburg.de/en/vertraege/353.html}
}