Marriage contract no. 373: Braunschweig-Wolfenbüttel - Baden

Contract content

Preamble: Invocation of God, intentions of both parties to enter into a Christian royal marriage are described

Article 1: Affirmation of the acceptance and recognition of the future married couple to show each other loyalty, love and appreciation

Article 2: Trousseau mentioned

Article 3: Dowry set at 20,000 guilders in imperial currency, receipt and interest until payment after consummation of the marriage mentioned

Article 4: Renunciation of inheritance regulated, to take place before consummation of the marriage

Article 5: Dowry to be insured at the Greene office, corresponding certification and Donatio propter nuptias mentioned

Article 6: Morning gift in the form of a jewel worth 4,000 talers determined, annual interest of 400 talers described

Article 7: Pocket money and pin money in the amount of 5,000 talers per annum agreed, to be paid in quarterly instalments

Article 8: Remuneration and maintenance of the princess’s servants regulated; Changes in personnel must be approved by the husband; civil or criminal matters are to be handled as in the case of the prince’s servants.

Article 9: In the event of the prince’s death, Marie is entitled to an annual widow’s pension of 16,000 Reichstalers, paid in quarterly instalments.

Article 10: The payment of pocket money and pin money ends with the death of the Prince; any costs for mourning the Prince shall be borne by the then ruling Prince

Article 11: The widow is entitled to any property, capital, cash, jewels, silverware, clothing or other gifts from her husband and others

Article 12: Administration of the morning gift money after the death of the prince is regulated

Article 13: Provision and trousseau for the widow are regulated according to her chosen place of residence

Article 14: Further trousseau for the widow’s household is determined at the sovereign’s expense, including carriages and horses, and the preparation of an inventory is mentioned; in the event of the destruction of the widow’s residence through no fault of her own, everything lost shall be replaced by the ruling sovereign and alternative accommodation shall be provided until the widow’s residence is restored

Article 15: Children born of the marriage shall, in the event of the prince’s death, be raised or placed under the guardianship of a person chosen by him; in the absence of such instructions, these tasks shall be the responsibility of the relatives and the widow, as long as she does not remarry; payments for each child born of the marriage shall be regulated

Article 16: If Marie were to change her widowhood, the dower shall expire and the provincial government shall provide for the children accordingly

Article 17: If Marie becomes a childless widow, she shall continue to be entitled to all her possessions, but her dowry shall pass to the House of Brunswick-Lüneburg; the children shall share their father’s inheritance in equal parts; further provisions regarding descendants and marriages within the House of Brunswick-Lüneburg, with mention of the groom’s brothers; they may not enter into marriage as long as the heir apparent and/or his descendants are still alive; if Friedrich Wilhelm should come to power and then die, his widow shall assume guardianship of the education and administration of the country, provided that the deceased has not left any paternal disposition and the widow does not change her widowhood; in addition, a co-guardian of her own choosing shall be appointed

Article 18: Should Marie die and leave princely heirs, the princess’s dowry and other property shall be divided equally between her widower and the children; if the princess dies without legitimate heirs, the widower shall receive rights of use over the marriage assets and the property brought into the marriage by the princess until his own death, in which case the marriage assets shall revert to the House of Baden and other property shall pass to the next heirs, provided that no corresponding will has been left; further provisions have been made regarding morning gifts and gifts during the marriage.

Article 19: If the widow remarries and gives birth to further children, these and any children from the previous marriage shall inherit in equal shares upon her death, unless otherwise specified.

Article 20: Handling of debts during the marriage clarified.

Article 21: Compliance with the terms of the contract in the event of the death of the spouses before or after consummation of the marriage clarified

Article 22: Mention of the production of 5 identical copies of the contract, signed and sealed in Braunschweig on 25 October 1802 and in Karlsruhe on 1 November 1802

Regulations on succession to the throne

Article 17: If Marie becomes a childless widow, she shall continue to be entitled to all her possessions, but the dowry shall pass to the House of Brunswick-Lüneburg; the children shall share their father’s inheritance in equal parts; Further provisions regarding descendants and marriages within the House of Brunswick-Lüneburg, with mention of the groom’s brothers; they may not marry as long as the heir apparent and/or his descendants are still alive. if Friedrich Wilhelm should come to power and then die, his widow shall assume guardianship of the education and administration of the country, provided that the deceased has not left any paternal disposition and the widow does not change her widowhood; in addition, a co-guardian of her own choosing shall be appointed

Regulations on inheritance law

Article 4: Renunciation of inheritance regulated, to take place before consummation of the marriage

Article 17: If Marie becomes a childless widow, she shall continue to be entitled to all possessions, but the dowry shall pass to the House of Brunswick-Lüneburg; the children shall share their father’s inheritance in equal parts; Further provisions regarding descendants and marriages within the House of Brunswick-Lüneburg, with mention of the groom’s brothers; they may not marry while the heir apparent and/or his descendants are still alive. if Friedrich Wilhelm should come to power and then die, his widow shall assume guardianship of the education and administration of the country, provided that the deceased has not left any paternal disposition and the widow does not change her widowhood; in addition, a co-guardian of her own choosing shall be appointed

Article 18: Should Marie die and leave princely heirs, the princess’s dowry and other property shall be divided equally between her widower and the children; if the princess dies without legitimate heirs, the widower shall receive rights of use over the marriage assets and the property brought into the marriage by the princess until his own death, in which case the marriage assets shall revert to the House of Baden and other property shall pass to the next heirs, provided that no corresponding will has been left; further provisions have been made regarding the morning gift and gifts during the marriage.

Article 19: If the widow remarries and gives birth to further children, these and any children from the previous marriage shall inherit in equal shares upon her death, unless otherwise specified.

Estates involved

Article 17: If Marie becomes a childless widow, she shall continue to be entitled to all possessions, but the dowry shall pass to the House of Brunswick-Lüneburg; the children shall share their father’s inheritance in equal parts; further provisions regarding descendants and marriages within the House of Brunswick-Lüneburg, with mention of the groom’s brothers; they may not enter into marriage as long as the heir apparent and/or his descendants are still alive; if Friedrich Wilhelm should come to power and then die, his widow shall assume guardianship of the education and administration of the country, as long as the deceased has not left any paternal disposition and the widow does not change her widowhood; in addition, a co-guardian of her own choosing shall be appointed

Commentary

Original contract divided into articles.

References

• Archive copy: NLA WO 3 Urk 2 No. 157
• Contract language archive copy: German

Recommended citation

Dynastische Eheverträge der frühen Neuzeit. Contract No. 373. Philipps University of Marburg. Available online at https://dynastische-ehevertraege.online.uni-marburg.de/en/vertraege/373.html.

@misc{ Dynastische Ehevertr{“a}ge der fr{”u}hen Neuzeit, 
title = {Dynastische Ehevertr{“a}ge der fr{”u}hen Neuzeit: Contract No. 373},
 url = {https://dynastische-ehevertraege.online.uni-marburg.de/en/vertraege/373.html}
}