Marriage contract no. 370: Brandenburg - Braunschweig-Wolfenbüttel

Contract content

Preamble (fol. 1r): Consent of the bride’s mother, marriage decided

Article 1 (fol. 1r-1v): Dowry (20,000 guilders), payment arrangements; trousseau; renunciation of inheritance by the bride, inheritance only occurs upon extinction of the bride’s male line, possibility of inheritance by will; letter of renunciation sealed by the groom

Article 2 (fol. 1v): Donatio propter nuptias (20,000 guilders); morning gift (8,000 Reichstaler or other payment options, payment arrangements)

Article 3 (fol. 1v-2r): Widow’s residence, widow’s property, rights of use; annual income (4,000 guilders and 400 Reichstaler)

Article 4 (fol. 2r): If the aforementioned sums are not achieved: compensation; regulations concerning officials

Article 5 (fol. 2r): Debt burden on the widow’s estate etc. excluded

Article 6 (fol. 2r): Oath and homage of officials, subjects etc. on the widow’s property

Article 7 (fol. 2r-2v): Regulations on the appointment of officials

Article 8 (fol. 2v): Structural maintenance of the widow’s estates in the event of damage, etc.; allocation of another widow’s residence if the bride so desires

Article 9 (fol. 2v): Protection of the bride and the widow’s estates

Article 10 (fol. 2v): Opening of the widow’s property excluded; debt burden excluded; structural maintenance

Article 11 (fol. 2v-3r): Inspection of the widow’s property

Article 12 (fol. 3r): If the bride dies before the groom and there are no joint heirs and no will: Reversion of dowry, trousseau and other possessions to the bride’s father/the ruling Duke of Brunswick (inheritance according to succession if there are no male heirs); lifelong right of use by the groom

Article 13 (fol. 3r): Gifts from the groom excluded from reversion

Article 14 (fol. 3r): Repayment regulations for reversion

Article 15 (fol. 3v): If the joint heirs die without their own heirs before the bride: inheritance regulations as stated

Article 16 (fol. 3v): If joint heirs are present after the death of the bride: lifelong right of use of dowry etc. by the groom; inheritance to descendants

Article 17 (fol. 3v): If the groom dies before the bride and joint heirs are present or not: commencement of the life estate etc., lifelong possession

Article 18 (fol. 3v): If the groom dies before the bride and there are joint heirs or not: receipt of the trousseau, etc.

Article 19 (fol. 3v): If the groom dies before the bride: the bride receives 2,300 guilders, no reduction of the dower

Article 20 (fol. 3v-4r): If the bride remarries after the death of the groom: redemption of the dower with 20,000 guilders; redemption of the Donatio propter nuptias and morning gift with 2,000 guilders and 400 Reichstaler annually and for life; assignment; reservation of the right of reversion

Article 21 (fol. 4r): If the bride dies and there are heirs from the second marriage: no further payments of dower and morning gift, unless there is another will: inheritance of her own estate to the descendants from the first and second marriages; inventory of the widow’s residence (replacement, etc.)

Article 21 (fol. 4r): Compliance with the contract promised

Article 22 (fol. 4r): Signature, date, place

Regulations on inheritance law

Article 1 (fol. 1r-1v): Dowry (20,000 guilders), payment arrangements; trousseau; renunciation of inheritance by the bride, inheritance only occurs upon extinction of the bride’s male line, possibility of inheritance by will; letter of renunciation sealed by the groom

Article 12 (fol. 3r): If the bride dies before the groom and there are no joint biological heirs and no will: reversion of dowry, trousseau and other property to the bride’s guardian/the ruling Duke of Brunswick (inheritance according to succession if there are no male heirs); lifelong right of use by the groom

Article 13 (fol. 3r): Gifts from the groom excluded from reversion

Article 14 (fol. 3r): Repayment regulations for reversion

Article 15 (fol. 3v): If the joint heirs die without their own heirs before the bride: inheritance regulations as stated

Article 16 (fol. 3v): If joint life heirs are present after the death of the bride: lifelong right of use of dowry etc. by the groom; inheritance to descendants

Article 19 (fol. 3v): If the groom dies before the bride: the bride receives 2,300 guilders, no reduction of the life annuity

Article 20 (fol. 3v-4r): If the bride remarries after the death of the groom: redemption of the dower with 20,000 guilders; redemption of the Donatio propter nuptias and morning gift with 2,000 guilders and 400 Reichstaler annually and for life; assignment; reservation of the right of reversion

Article 21 (fol. 4r): If the bride dies and there are heirs from the second marriage: no further payments of dower and morning gift, unless there is another will: inheritance of her own estate to the descendants from the first and second marriages; inventory of the widow’s residence (replacement, etc.)

Ratifications, confirmations, approvals

Preamble (fol. 1r): Consent of the bride’s mother, marriage decided

Commentary

No foliation/numbering of the contract pages

Original contract divided into articles (visually, no numbering)

Literature

Schwineköper, Berent, ‘Christian Wilhelm’ in: Neue Deutsche Biographie 3 (1957), p. 226 [online version]; URL: https://www.deutsche-biographie.de/pnd100081746.html#ndbcontent [16.07.2025].

References

• Archive copy: NLA Wf 3 Urk 4 No. 51 (1615 I 1)
• Contract language archive copy: German

Recommended citation

Dynastische Eheverträge der frühen Neuzeit. Contract No. 370. Philipps University of Marburg. Available online at https://dynastische-ehevertraege.online.uni-marburg.de/en/vertraege/370.html.

@misc{ Dynastische Ehevertr{“a}ge der fr{”u}hen Neuzeit, 
title = {Dynastische Ehevertr{“a}ge der fr{”u}hen Neuzeit: Contract No. 370},
 url = {https://dynastische-ehevertraege.online.uni-marburg.de/en/vertraege/370.html}
}