Marriage contract no. 359: Brandenburg-Bayreuth - Braunschweig-Wolfenbüttel

Contract content

(fol. 01r): Invocation of God

Article 1 (fol. 01r-02r): Marriage decided, consent of the bride

Article 2 (fol. 02r-02v): Dowry (18,000 talers), payment arrangements; trousseau, list

Article 3 (fol. 02v-03r): Renunciation of inheritance by the bride as long as the male line exists; consent of the groom; inheritance according to the will

Article 4 (fol. 03r-04v): Morning gift (jewellery: 5,000 Reichstaler, attachment); pin money (6,000 Reichstaler); 1,500 Reichstaler; gifts; servants, dismissal/hiring of servants, etc.; upon the birth of the first prince: gift, yield of at least 2,000 Reichstaler

Article 5 (fol. 04v-10v): Donatio propter nuptias (18,000 Reichstaler), widow’s dower, 12,000 taler annually; widow’s residence, wood; if there are male heirs: an additional 2,000 Reichstaler (a total of 14,000 Reichstaler annually); annual pension (16,000 Reichstaler); payments secured; reservation if the yield is higher than 16,000 Reichstaler; use of the widow’s residence, trousseau, horses; if the bride remarries after the death of the groom: the household goods etc. remain in the widow’s residence; Praise and oath of the officials and subjects; exclusive prescription of the widow’s estate to the bride; regulations governing the rule over the subjects on the widow’s estates; the subjects retain their secular and spiritual customs; reservations of the groom/the groom’s heirs regarding the widow’s estates; Protection of the bride and the widow’s estate; opening, allocation, etc. of the widow’s estate by the bride without the consent of the groom/the groom’s heirs is excluded; debt burdens on the offices by the bride are excluded, use of wood; structural maintenance; in the event of debt burdens on the widow’s estate: repayment of debts by the groom/his heirs, future debt burden on the widow’s property excluded; settlement of the bride’s debts; in the event of loss/devastation of the widow’s property due to war, etc./if the 6,000 Reichstaler are not achieved: reimbursement; change of the widow’s property

Article 6 (fol. 10v-11v): If the bride dies before the groom and there are no biological heirs: the groom receives the lifelong right of use of the dowry; after the death of the groom: the dowry reverts to the bride’s father/his heirs; dowry, gifts and other possessions pass to the groom; repayment arrangements

Article 7 (fol. 11v): If the bride dies before the groom and there are descendants: the descendants inherit the dowry and the rest of the estate; Succession by the eldest prince; provision for younger descendants

Article 8 (fol. 11v-12v): If the groom dies before the bride and there are or are not legitimate heirs: princely mourning; widow’s maintenance without pin money; commencement of the widow’s dower; receipt of the trousseau, other possessions, etc.; Reluition; in case of defects: reimbursement

Article 9 (fol. 12v-13v): If the bride remarries after the death of the groom: The bride receives the 12,000 talers, the 18,000 talers, the bond; if there are descendants from the second marriage: inheritance to the offspring from the first and second marriages; if there are only offspring from the first marriage: inheritance to the offspring from the first marriage; if there are only offspring from the second marriage: inheritance to the offspring from the second marriage; if the bride has no offspring: inheritance according to the bride’s will; if there is no will: reversion to the bride’s father/his successor

Article 10 (fol. 13v): Settlement of debts

Article 11 (fol. 13v-14r): If the bride/groom dies after consummation of the marriage and before payment of the dowry: marriage contract valid; if the bride/groom dies before consummation of the marriage: marriage contract invalid, other contracts excluded; compliance with the contract promised; two copies of the contract; signatures, place, date

Regulations on succession to the throne

Article 7 (fol. 11v): If the bride dies before the groom and there are descendants: The descendants inherit the dowry and the rest of the estate; succession by the eldest prince; provision for the younger descendants

Regulations on inheritance law

Article 3 (fol. 02v-03r): Renunciation of inheritance by the bride as long as the male line exists; consent of the groom; inheritance according to the will

Article 6 (fol. 10v-11v): If the bride dies before the groom and there are no biological heirs: the groom receives the lifelong right of use of the dowry; after the death of the groom: the dowry reverts to the bride’s father/his heirs; dowry, gifts and other possessions pass to the groom; repayment arrangements

Article 7 (fol. 11v): If the bride dies before the groom and there are descendants: the descendants inherit the dowry and the rest of the estate; Succession by the eldest prince; provision for younger descendants

Article 8 (fol. 11v-12v): If the groom dies before the bride and there are or are not biological heirs: princely mourning; widow’s maintenance without pin money; commencement of the widow’s dower; receipt of the trousseau, other possessions, etc.; Reluition; in case of defects: reimbursement

Article 9 (fol. 12v-13v): If the bride remarries after the death of the groom: The bride receives the 12,000 talers, the 18,000 talers, the bond; if there are descendants from the second marriage: inheritance to the offspring from the first and second marriages; if there are only offspring from the first marriage: inheritance to the offspring from the first marriage; if there are only offspring from the second marriage: inheritance to the offspring from the second marriage; if the bride has no offspring: inheritance according to the bride’s will; if there is no will: reversion to the bride’s father/his successor

Commentary

Original contract divided into articles

No pagination/numbering of the contract pages

References

• Archive copy: NLA Wf 3 Urk 5 No. 49 (1759 IX 5)
• Contract language archive copy: German

Recommended citation

Dynastische Eheverträge der frühen Neuzeit. Contract No. 359. Philipps University of Marburg. Available online at https://dynastische-ehevertraege.online.uni-marburg.de/en/vertraege/359.html.

@misc{ Dynastische Ehevertr{“a}ge der fr{”u}hen Neuzeit, 
title = {Dynastische Ehevertr{“a}ge der fr{”u}hen Neuzeit: Contract No. 359},
 url = {https://dynastische-ehevertraege.online.uni-marburg.de/en/vertraege/359.html}
}

Contract content

Regulations on succession to the throne

Confessional regulations

Regulations on inheritance law

Estates involved

External authorities involved

Ratifications, confirmations, approvals

Text reference to past events

Further contracts between contracting parties

Commentary

Literature

References

• Archive copy:
• Contract language archive copy:
• Digitized archive copy:
• Print reference:
• Contract language print:
• Digitized print:

Recommended citation

Dynastische Eheverträge der frühen Neuzeit. Contract No. 359. Philipps University of Marburg. Available online at https://dynastische-ehevertraege.online.uni-marburg.de/en/vertraege/359.html.

@misc{ Dynastische Ehevertr{“a}ge der fr{”u}hen Neuzeit, 
title = {Dynastische Ehevertr{“a}ge der fr{”u}hen Neuzeit: Contract No. 359},
 url = {https://dynastische-ehevertraege.online.uni-marburg.de/en/vertraege/359.html}
}