Marriage contract no. 366: Nassau-Dietz - Hessen-Kassel

Contract content

(fol. 2r): Invocation of God

Preamble (fol. 2r-2v): Marriage decided

Article 1 (fol. 2v-3r): Marriage decided, consummation

Article 2 (fol. 3r-3v): Dowry (20,000 guilders or 16,250 talers), payment arrangements, contribution from the estates (6,000 talers); trousseau

Article 3 (fol. 3v-4v): Renunciation of inheritance by the bride; inheritance from the maternal estate, further inheritance options; renunciation by the groom; if the bride’s male line dies out: receipt of a due share of the inheritance

Article 4 (fol. 4v): Use of any inheritance from the bride’s family exclusively by the bride

Article 5 (fol. 4v-5r): Morning gift (jewel worth 20,000 Reichstaler or 40,000 guilders) becomes part of the bride’s inheritance, annual interest income

Article 6 (fol. 5r-5v): Donatio propter nuptias (22,250 taler), regulations regarding the inheritance of William III

Article 7 (fol. 5v): pin money (600 Reichstaler or 2,000 guilders every 6 months; thus 1,200 Reichstaler or 2,000 guilders annually), regulations on pin money

Article 8 (fol. 5v-6r): Court

Article 9 (fol. 6r-7r): Dowry/life estate (sum of money of 20,000 Dutch guilders, insurance, referral); obedience etc. of subjects, officials, servants; widow’s property (in cases where the groom’s mother is alive or already deceased); Letter of consent from the feudal lords, etc.

Article 10 (fol. 7r-7v): Inventory list; payment of 20,000 Dutch guilders as dower, if payment in kind is not possible: compensation and indemnification of the bride

Article 11 (fol. 7v): Rights of use over the widow’s property, free use of the 20,000 guilders

Article 12 (fol. 8r-9r): If the groom dies before the bride and there are joint descendants: upbringing and guardianship of minor descendants; administration of property, Reformed religion prescribed

Article 13 (fol. 9r-9v): Widow’s residence, structural maintenance, movable property; regulations in the event that the widow wishes to live in the Netherlands

Article 14 (fol. 9v-10r): Oath and obedience of subjects on the widow’s property; officials and subjects retain their rights, etc., further burdens on subjects excluded

Article 15 (fol. 10v): widow’s estates; pledging, encumbrances, etc. of the widow’s estates excluded, wood for the household, supplies on the widow’s estates

Article 16 (fol. 11r): Replacement of the widow’s residence with another, for example due to the threat of war, furniture, household goods

Article 17 (fol. 11r-11v): If the groom dies before the bride and there are minor descendants: payment of 5% of the dowry annually; other property remains exempt from this; debts and encumbrances excluded

Article 18 (fol. 11v): If the bride dies before the groom and there are joint descendants: inheritance of the dowry, trousseau and other property by the descendants, debts excluded

Article 19 (fol. 11v-12r): If the groom dies and there are no descendants: household goods for the widow’s estate, trousseau, remain as hereditary property of the bride

Article 20 (fol. 12r-12v): If the bride dies before the groom and there are no biological heirs: The groom receives the lifelong right of disposal of the dowry; after the death of the groom: reversion to the bride’s next heirs; the remaining property falls to her next heirs

Article 21 (fol. 12v-13r): If the bride/groom dies after consummation of the marriage and before payment of the dowry: Marriage contract valid; further validity of the marriage contract of the groom’s mother, further validity of wills and other contracts; compliance with the contract promised, two copies of the contract drawn up; date, place, signatures

(13v): Formal descriptions (parchment, etc.), not part of the contract text

Confessional regulations

Article 12 (fol. 8r-9r): If the groom dies before the bride and they have children together: upbringing and guardianship of minor children; administration of property, Reformed religion prescribed

Regulations on inheritance law

Article 3 (fol. 3v-4v): Renunciation of inheritance by the bride; inheritance from the maternal estate, further inheritance options; renunciation by the groom; if the male line of the bride dies out: receipt of a due share of the inheritance

Article 4 (fol. 4v): Use of any inheritance from the bride’s family exclusively by the bride

Article 5 (fol. 4v-5r): Morning gift (jewel worth 20,000 Reichstaler or 40,000 guilders) becomes the bride’s inheritance, annual interest income

Article 18 (fol. 11v): If the bride dies before the groom and there are joint descendants: inheritance of the dowry, trousseau and other possessions by the descendants, excluding debts

Article 19 (fol. 11v-12r): If the groom dies and there are no descendants: household goods for the widow’s estate, trousseau, remain as the bride’s hereditary property

Article 20 (fol. 12r-12v): If the bride dies before the groom and there are no biological heirs: The groom receives the right of disposal of the dowry for life; after the death of the groom: reversion to the bride’s next of kin; other possessions pass to her next of kin.

Estates involved

Article 2 (fol. 3r-3v): Dowry (20,000 guilders or 16,250 talers), payment arrangements, contribution of the estates (6,000 talers); trousseau

External authorities involved

Article 9 (fol. 6r-7r): Widow’s dower/life annuity (sum of 20,000 Dutch guilders, insurance, referral); obedience etc. of subjects, officials, servants; widow’s property (in cases where the groom’s mother is alive or already deceased); letter of consent from feudal lords etc.

Ratifications, confirmations, approvals

Article 9 (fol. 6r-7r): Dowry/life annuity (sum of 20,000 Dutch guilders, insurance, referral); obedience etc. of subjects, officials, servants; widow’s property (in cases where the groom’s mother is alive or already deceased); letter of consent from the feudal lords, etc.

Text reference to past events

Article 21 (fol. 12v-13r): If the bride/groom dies after consummation of the marriage and before payment of the dowry: marriage contract valid; further validity of the marriage contract of the groom’s mother, further validity of wills and other contracts; Compliance with the contract promised, two copies of the contract drawn up; date, place, signatures.

Commentary

Transcript of the marriage contract.

Original contract divided into articles.

No foliation/numbering of the contract pages.

Literature

Müller, Pieter Lodewijk, ‘Johann Wilhelm Friso’ in: Allgemeine Deutsche Biographie 14 (1881), pp. 275–276 [online version]; URL: https://www.deutsche-biographie.de/pnd119272555.html#adbcontent [06.04.2025].

References

• Archive copy: HHStAW, 3036, HHStAW Dept. 170 IV No. 110 a
• Contract language archive copy: German
• Digitized archive copy: https://arcinsys.hessen.de/arcinsys/digitalMediaViewer.action?archivalDescriptionId=5040916&selectId=8358419

Recommended citation

Dynastische Eheverträge der frühen Neuzeit. Contract No. 366. Philipps University of Marburg. Available online at https://dynastische-ehevertraege.online.uni-marburg.de/en/vertraege/366.html.

@misc{ Dynastische Ehevertr{“a}ge der fr{”u}hen Neuzeit, 
title = {Dynastische Ehevertr{“a}ge der fr{”u}hen Neuzeit: Contract No. 366},
 url = {https://dynastische-ehevertraege.online.uni-marburg.de/en/vertraege/366.html}
}