Marriage contract no. 377: Anhalt-Zerbst - Oldenburg

Contract content

Preamble: Names of the marriage partners and parties involved; consent of the mother; mutual promises of marriage

Article 1: Dowry settled: 20,000 Reichstaler, payment settled; trousseau guaranteed

Article 2: Renunciation of inheritance by the offspring settled

Article 3: Donatio propter nuptias of 20,000 Reichstaler; investment of the dowry and the donatio propter nuptias in the Coswig office; life estate of 4,000 guilders; 200 Reichstaler morning gift to be earned annually from the estates; compensation from other offices if Coswig is not sufficient to earn the sums

Article 4: Homage paid by subjects on the widow’s estate regulated

Article 5: Repair and replacement of the widow’s estate regulated

Article 6: Inspection of the widow’s estate regulated

Article 7: Residence of the widow in the event of defects and epidemics on the widow’s estate regulated

Article 8: Death of the bride before the groom without bodily heirs regulated: Reversion of the dowry; dower as a pledge

Article 9: Inheritance of the dowry in the presence of legitimate heirs

Article 10: Death of the groom before the bride: commencement of the dower

Article 11: Remarriage of the bride: possibility of redemption of the dower; inheritance by children from subsequent marriages

Article 12: Prohibition on encumbering the dower

Article 13: Inventory of the dower regulated

Article 14: Reservata of the groom with regard to the widow’s dower

Article 15: The groom obtains his brother’s consent to the widow’s dower before the consummation of the marriage

Article 16: Inheritance of paraphernalia from the mother and sisters of the bride is possible

Article 17: The contract is to be signed by the spouses and the brothers of the groom, Hans Georg, Christian, August and Ludwig; date, signatures and seals

Regulations on inheritance law

Article 2: Renunciation of inheritance by the bride’s family regulated

Article 8: Death of the bride before the groom without biological heirs regulated: reversion of the dowry; widow’s dower as a pledge

Article 9: Inheritance of dowry in the presence of biological heirs regulated

Article 11: Remarriage of the bride regulated: possibility of redemption of the widow’s dower; inheritance by children from further marriages regulated

Article 16: Inheritance of paraphernalia from the mother and sisters of the bride is possible

Ratifications, confirmations, approvals

Article 17: Contract to be signed by the spouses and the brothers of the groom, Hans Georg, Christian, August and Ludwig; date, signatures and seals

Further contracts between contracting parties

Supplementary agreement regarding the bride’s religious practices dated 15 April 1612 (NLA OL, 20 Urk, Nr. 682)

References

• Archive copy: NLA OL, 20 Urk, Nr. 683
• Contract language archive copy: German

Recommended citation

Dynastische Eheverträge der frühen Neuzeit. Contract No. 377. Philipps University of Marburg. Available online at https://dynastische-ehevertraege.online.uni-marburg.de/en/vertraege/377.html.

@misc{ Dynastische Ehevertr{“a}ge der fr{”u}hen Neuzeit, 
title = {Dynastische Ehevertr{“a}ge der fr{”u}hen Neuzeit: Contract No. 377},
 url = {https://dynastische-ehevertraege.online.uni-marburg.de/en/vertraege/377.html}
}