Marriage contract no. 381: Niederlande - Brandenburg-Preußen

  • Date of contract conclusion: 6. Juli 1791
  • Place of contract conclusion: Berlin

Groom

  • Name: Wilhelm Friedrich von Oranien-Nassau
  • GND: 119312700
  • Year of Birth: 1772
  • Year of Death: 1843
  • Dynasty: Oranien-Nassau-Dietz
  • Confession: reformiert

Bride

  • Name: Friederike Sophie Wilhelmine von Preußen
  • GND: 136679366
  • Year of Birth: 1774
  • Year of Death: 1837
  • Dynasty: Hohenzollern (Brandenburg-Preußen)
  • Confession: reformiert

Actors of the Groom

  • Name: Wilhelm V. von Oranien-Nassau
  • GND: 119357550
  • Dynasty: Oranien-Nassau-Dietz
  • Relationship: Vater

Actors of the Bride

  • Name: Friedrich Wilhelm II. von Preußen
  • GND: 11869362X
  • Dynasty: Hohenzollern (Brandenburg-Preußen)
  • Relationship: Vater

Contract content

Preamble: Marriage at the request of William V; acceptance by Frederick William II on the basis of the common interests of the two houses in religion and neighbourliness and the excellent qualities of the heir apparent; naming of the marriage partners, actors and negotiating officials

Article 1: Mutual marriage vows; marriage according to the laws of the Reformed Church; date set for the first days of October 1791; the groom comes to Berlin in person for this purpose

Article 2: Dowry of 100,000 Friedrichsdor: of which 40,000 Friedrichsdor as the usual dowry of princesses and 60,000 Friedrichsdor additionally as paraphernal property; Payment regulated; trousseau regulated.

Article 3: Renunciation of inheritance by the bride regulated: applies if there are no male descendants; the renunciation of inheritance in Kleve, Jülich, Silesia and Glatz is listed separately.

Article 4: Morning gift of 50,000 Dutch guilders; Interest rate of 3% over which the bride has no control; the interest collected is used for the bride’s annual expenses, for clothing, pocket money and pin money.

Article 5: 20,000 guilders for clothing, pocket money and pin money; the bride does not have to pay for her court with this sum.

Article 6: The spouses do not have two separate courts, but the groom will provide the bride with an appropriate number of court staff.

Article 7: Donatio propter nuptias of 100,000 Friedrichsdor; investment of the funds regulated; 50,000 Dutch guilders as a life annuity; the funds from Article 5 cease at the beginning of the Leibgedinge; compensation for damages; the bride has the ‘la vielle cour’, the Oraniensaal or the castle of Breda at her disposal as a widow’s residence; trousseau of the widow’s residence regulated; a widow’s letter is to be drawn up

Article 8: Guardianship of joint children in the event of the groom’s death regulated: Bride assumes guardianship with the possibility of another supporting person

Article 9: Bride dies before groom without offspring: reversion of dowry and paraphernalia, but usufruct for spouse

Article 10: Nullity of the marriage contract in the event of the death of one of the contracting parties before consummation

Article 11: Ratification regulated; place; date; signatures; L.S.

Confessional regulations

Article 1: Mutual marriage vows; marriage according to the laws of the Reformed Church

Regulations on inheritance law

Article 3: Renunciation of inheritance by the bride regulated: applies if there are no male descendants; the waiver of inheritance rights in Kleve, Jülich, Silesia and Glatz is listed separately

Article 9: Bride dies before groom without offspring: return of dowry and paraphernalia, but usufruct for the spouse

References