Marriage contract no. 379: Pommern-Wolgast - Braunschweig-Wolfenbüttel

Contract content

Preamble: Invocation of God, declaration by Ernst Ludwig and Julius to unite both principalities through the marriage of Sophie Hedwig and Ernst Ludwig; furthermore, declaration of adherence to the Augsburg Confession, the Schmalkaldic Articles and the teachings of Martin Luther, in view of the ‘last and perilous times’ in which ‘all manner of troublesome errors’ are occurring

Article 1: Agreement to consummate the marriage when Sophie Hedwig reaches the age of 16, the costs of which, as well as her transportation home, will be borne by Ernst Ludwig

Article 2: Mention of the consent of Ernst Ludwig’s mother and his brothers to marry Sophie Hedwig and not to enter into any other relationships as long as both are alive

Article 3: Marriage settlement of 20,000 guilders promised by Julius, to be paid within one year and one day after consummation of the marriage.

Article 4: Renunciation of inheritance regulated, corresponding letter of renunciation mentioned.

Article 5: Trousseau regulated.

Article 6: Donatio propter nuptias of 20,000 guilders regulated, consent of Ernst Ludwig’s brothers specified; morning gift to be given after consummation of the marriage.

Article 7: Loitz Castle guaranteed as dower, associated offices to generate an annual income of 4,000 guilders, including the morning gift; if the income is lower, the Grimmen office shall make up the difference; however, if the income is higher, Ernst Ludwig and his heirs shall be entitled to any surplus

Article 8: Subjects and officials on the dower shall take the appropriate oaths and pay homage after consummation of the marriage; conditions for the appointment of new officials clarified

Article 9: Regulations for dealing with damage or insufficient income from the dower estates clarified; falls within the area of responsibility of the relevant heirs and descendants of Ernst Ludwig; Agreement on an inspection of the yield of the dower estates by Julius.

Article 10: If Sophie Hedwig dies without joint heirs, the trousseau and similar items shall initially be transferred to Ernst Ludwig for life in return for an inventory certificate; thereafter, all such items shall fall to Julius, his heirs or the corresponding next heirs of Sophie Hedwig. The same applies to the marriage property; until redemption, Julius and his heirs shall also be entitled to receive 1,000 guilders annually from the dower estates; prior to this, none of the oaths taken by officials and subjects shall be dissolved; reversion in the event of joint heirs is regulated.

Article 11: Details of Sophie Hedwig’s entitlement to the dower property clarified

Article 12: Redemption in the event of Sophie Hedwig remarrying regulated; if there are male heirs, redemption shall be in the amount of 30,000 guilders instead of 40,000 guilders; Interest and insurance clarified; as soon as the redemption has taken place, the dower and morning gift shall be transferred and all officials and subjects shall be released from their oaths; insurance secured by guarantee for Julius and his heirs

Article 13: If there is no remarriage, Sophie Hedwig shall have access to the 40,000 or 30,000 guilders for the rest of her life; these shall also be inherited by joint heirs; if there are no heirs, 20,000 guilders shall revert to the respective heirs of the two princely houses.

Article 14: Delivery of a letter of dower to Sophie Hedwig regulated

Article 15: Sophie Hedwig shall remain free of debts incurred or to be incurred by Ernst Ludwig; however, she and her next heirs must pay for debts incurred in her name on the dower estates

Article 16: Procedure for leaving the dower estates regulated; upon moving in, a corresponding inventory must be created, which can be consulted upon leaving; changes to the dower estates must be agreed upon with Ernst Ludwig’s heirs.

Article 17: Sophie Hedwig may grant ecclesiastical and secular fiefs, with the exception of knightly fiefs.

Article 18: Superiority over the dower property, e.g. in the event of war or business, remains with Ernst Ludwig’s heirs and descendants.

Article 19: Julius will bear the full costs of the wedding if it takes place in his principality; however, if the wedding is held in Ernst Ludwig’s principality, Julius will bear half of the costs.

Article 20: The contract shall be declared null and void in the event of death before the wedding

Article 21: Both parties vow to abide by the contract, in Ernst Ludwig’s case also on behalf of his brothers; Two copies of the contract mentioned, signed and sealed also by the brothers Johann Friedrich, Bogislaw and Barnim; Date and signatures; In addition, ratification with seals by Adrian von Steinberg, Fritz von der Schulenburg, Franciscus Mützeltin, Ulrich von Zwerin, Joachim von der Schulenburg and Valentin von Eickstedt.

Confessional regulations

Preamble: Invocation of God, confession by Ernst Ludwig and Julius to unite both principalities through a marriage between Sophie Hedwig and Ernst Ludwig; In addition, confession to the Augsburg Confession, the Schmalkaldic Articles and the teachings of Martin Luther, in view of the ‘last and dangerous times’ in which ‘all kinds of worrying errors’ are occurring.

Regulations on inheritance law

Article 4: Renunciation of inheritance regulated, corresponding letter of renunciation mentioned.

Article 10: If Sophie Hedwig dies without joint heirs, her trousseau and similar items shall initially be transferred to Ernst Ludwig for life against a certificate of inventory; thereafter, all such items shall pass to Julius, his heirs or the corresponding next heirs of Sophie Hedwig; the same applies to the marriage property; until redemption, Julius and his heirs shall also be entitled to receive 1,000 guilders annually from the dower property; prior to this, none of the oaths taken by officials and subjects shall be dissolved; reversion in the event of joint heirs is regulated.

Article 12: Redemption in the event of Sophie Hedwig remarrying is regulated; if there are male heirs, redemption shall be in the amount of 30,000 guilders instead of 40,000 guilders; interest and insurance clarified; as soon as redemption has taken place, the dower and morning gift shall be relinquished and all officials and subjects shall be released from their oaths; insurance secured by guarantee for Julius and his heirs

Article 13: If there is no remarriage, Sophie Hedwig shall have access to the 40,000 or 30,000 guilders for the rest of her life; these shall also be inherited by joint heirs; if there are no heirs, 20,000 guilders shall revert to the respective heirs of the two princely houses

External authorities involved

Article 21: Both parties vow to abide by the contract, in Ernst Ludwig’s case also on behalf of his brothers; two copies of the contract mentioned, signed and sealed also by the brothers Johann Friedrich, Bogislaw and Barnim; date and signatures; In addition, ratification with seals by Adrian von Steinberg, Fritz von der Schulenburg, Franciscus Mützeltin, Ulrich von Zwerin, Joachim von der Schulenburg and Valentin von Eickstedt.

Ratifications, confirmations, approvals

Article 2: Mention of the consent of Ernst Ludwig’s mother and his brothers to marry Sophie Hedwig and not to enter into any other relationships as long as both are alive.

Article 6: Donatio propter nuptias of 20,000 guilders stipulated, consent of Ernst Ludwig’s brothers named; morning gift to be given after consummation of the marriage

Article 21: Both parties vow to abide by the contract, in Ernst Ludwig’s case also on behalf of his brothers; Two copies of the contract mentioned, signed and sealed also by the brothers Johann Friedrich, Bogislaw and Barnim; date and signatures; also ratification with seals by Adrian von Steinberg, Fritz von der Schulenburg, Franciscus Mützeltin, Ulrich von Zwerin, Joachim von der Schulenburg and Valentin von Eickstedt.

Text reference to past events

Preamble: Invocation of God, confession by Ernst Ludwig and Julius to unite both principalities through the marriage of Sophie Hedwig and Ernst Ludwig; also confession to the Augsburg Confession, the Schmalkaldic Articles and the teachings of Martin Luther, in view of the ‘last and dangerous times’ in which ‘all kinds of troublesome errors’ are occurring

Commentary

The original treaty is not divided into articles and also contains ratification at the end.

References

• Archive copy: NLA WO 3 Urk 4 No. 7
• Contract language archive copy: German

Recommended citation

Dynastische Eheverträge der frühen Neuzeit. Contract No. 379. Philipps University of Marburg. Available online at https://dynastische-ehevertraege.online.uni-marburg.de/en/vertraege/379.html.

@misc{ Dynastische Ehevertr{“a}ge der fr{”u}hen Neuzeit, 
title = {Dynastische Ehevertr{“a}ge der fr{”u}hen Neuzeit: Contract No. 379},
 url = {https://dynastische-ehevertraege.online.uni-marburg.de/en/vertraege/379.html}
}