Marriage contract no. 387: Sachsen-Eisenach - Braunschweig-Wolfenbüttel

Contract content

Preamble (fol. 1r-1v): Marriage decided

Article 1 (fol. 2r): Dowry (17,500 Reichstaler), payment arrangements; trousseau

Article 2 (fol. 2r-2v): Renunciation of inheritance by the bride, inheritance occurs upon extinction of the bride’s male line, sealing by the groom; inheritance options according to the will

Article 3 (fol. 2v): Morning gift (2,000 Reichstaler principal, 200 Reichstaler annually), payment arrangements, rights of use, payment of 300 Reichstaler annually; remuneration of servants

Article 4 (fol. 2v-3r): Donatio propter nuptias (17,500 Reichstaler); prescription of dowry and Donatio propter nuptias to the Eisenach office (castle, town, villages, etc.), rights of use, etc., jurisdiction, determination as widow’s dower (specification); widow’s pension (3,500 Reichstaler); salary for servants and costs for maintaining the household; inspection of the widow’s estates

Article 5 (fol. 3r): If the specified sum cannot be achieved: reimbursement

Article 6 (fol. 3r-3v): Condition of the widow’s residence

Article 7 (fol. 3v): Letter of command to the subjects, regulations on income and wear and tear of the widow’s dower, maintenance, fines and penalties, food

Article 8 (fol. 3v): Regulations on hunting and wood

Article 9 (fol. 3v-4r): Regulations on possible surpluses, regulations on soldiers

Article 10 (fol. 4r): Regulations concerning officials (praise and oath, obedience, administration, deposit, appointment)

Article 11 (fol. 4r-4v): Protection of the bride and the widow’s estate, etc. in widowhood

Article 12 (fol. 4v): In the event of complaints about the widow’s dower, etc.: settlement

Article 13 (fol. 4v): Commencement of the widow’s dower, occupancy, inventory (household goods, food, etc.), movable property at the widow’s residence, compensation for defects

Article 14 (fol. 4v): Sale, pledging, opening, etc. of the widow’s dower without the consent of the groom/the groom’s heirs is excluded; structural condition of the widow’s property

Article 15 (fol. 4v-5r): If the bride dies before the groom and there are no common descendants: The groom receives the lifelong right of use of the dowry, trousseau, etc.; after the death of the groom: reversion, inventory; further inheritance regulations in the case of a will.

Article 16 (fol. 5r): If the groom dies before the bride and there are minor descendants: guardianship, maintenance; Acquisition and use of the widow’s dower, receipt of household goods, trousseau, morning gift, etc.

Article 17 (fol. 5r-5v): If the bride remarries after the death of the groom: Redemption, regulations on redemption, transfer of the widow’s dower

Article 18 (fol. 5v): If there are descendants from the first and second marriages: the bride’s dowry and other possessions go to the descendants from the first and second marriages, the Donatio propter nuptias goes to the heirs and descendants of the groom from the first marriage, interest is waived

Article 19 (fol. 5v): If the bride does not remarry after the death of the groom: protection of the bride; after the death of the bride: reversion of the widow’s residence; inheritance options by will, regulations if no will exists

Article 20 (fol. 5v-6r): Re-equipping of the widow’s property with household goods, etc.

Article 21 (fol. 6r): Payment arrangements for the reversion

Article 22 (fol. 6r): Settlement of debts

Article 23 (fol. 6r): If the bride/groom dies before consummation of the marriage: marriage contract invalid

Conclusion (fol. 6r-6v): Two copies of the contract; additional approval by the groom’s brothers, promise to comply with the contract; provisions regarding 1,500 Reichstaler (increase in dowry) and their inheritance, life annuity, date, signatures

Regulations on inheritance law

Article 2 (fol. 2r-2v): Renunciation of inheritance by the bride, inheritance occurs upon extinction of the bride’s male line, sealed by the groom; inheritance options according to the will

Article 15 (fol. 4v-5r): If the bride dies before the groom and there are no common descendants: the groom receives the lifelong right of use of the dowry, trousseau, etc.; after the death of the groom: reversion, inventory; further inheritance regulations in the case of a will

Article 18 (fol. 5v):

If there are descendants from the first and second marriages: the dowry and other possessions of the bride go to the descendants from the first and second marriages, the Donatio propter nuptias goes to the heirs and descendants of the groom from the first marriage, interest is forfeited.

Article 19 (fol. 5v): If the bride does not remarry after the death of the groom: Protection of the bride; after the death of the bride: reversion of the widow’s residence; inheritance options through a will, regulations if no will exists

Article 21 (fol. 6r): Payment regulations for the reversion

Conclusion (fol. 6r-6v): Two copies of the contract; additional approval by the groom’s brothers, promise to comply with the contract; provisions regarding 1,500 Reichstaler (increase in dowry) and its inheritance, life annuity, date, signatures

Ratifications, confirmations, approvals

Conclusion (fol. 6r-6v): Two copies of the contract; additional approval by the groom’s brothers, promise to comply with the contract; provisions regarding 1,500 Reichstaler (increase in dowry) and its inheritance, life annuity, date, signatures

Commentary

Original contract divided into articles No folio numbering of the contract pages in the original

Literature

Beck, August, ‘Adolf Wilhelm’ in: Allgemeine Deutsche Biographie 1 (1875), pp. 120-121 [online version]; URL: https://www.deutsche-biographie.de/pnd102322376.html#adbcontent [07.08.2025].

References

• Archive copy: NLA Wf 3 Urk 5 No. 9 (1662 XI 19)
• Contract language archive copy: German

Recommended citation

Dynastische Eheverträge der frühen Neuzeit. Contract No. 387. Philipps University of Marburg. Available online at https://dynastische-ehevertraege.online.uni-marburg.de/en/vertraege/387.html.

@misc{ Dynastische Ehevertr{“a}ge der fr{”u}hen Neuzeit, 
title = {Dynastische Ehevertr{“a}ge der fr{”u}hen Neuzeit: Contract No. 387},
 url = {https://dynastische-ehevertraege.online.uni-marburg.de/en/vertraege/387.html}
}