Marriage contract no. 391: Ostfriesland - Schleswig-Holstein-Gottorf

Contract content

Article 1/Part 1 (p. 1): Marriage decided

Article 2/Part 1 (p. 1): Dowry (20,000 Reichstaler)

Article 3/Part 1 (p. 1): Renunciation of inheritance by the bride, inheritance options by will

Article 4/Part 1 (p. 1): Regulations for the groom’s accession to the throne; validity of the primogeniture rule, imperial confirmation; regulations concerning the groom’s brothers and sisters, guardianships

Article 5/Part 1 (p. 1): Life annuity (rights of use, compensation for defects, etc.); freedom from debt of the widow’s estate; supplies, household goods; use of the widow’s estate; maintenance, other financial regulations; inventory list (trousseau, etc.); assumption of the widow’s estate; Regulations regarding the marriage settlement (20,000 Reichstaler dowry, 20,000 Reichstaler Donatio propter nuptias); if the bride dies: the Donatio propter nuptias goes to the groom’s next heirs, inheritance regulations for the bride’s descendants (first and second marriage); further inheritance regulations; confirmation of the marriage agreement

Article 6/Part 1 (p. 1): Promise to comply with the contract; provisions for the death of the bride/groom

Article 7/Part 2 (p. 2): Marriage decided, possible allocation of another house; mention of the bride’s father’s memory

Article 8/Part 2 (p. 2): Dowry, trousseau

Article 9/Part 2 (p. 2): Renunciation of inheritance by the bride, consent of the groom, inheritance options by will

Article 10/Part 2 (p. 2): Widow’s dower (provisions as agreed)

Article 11/Part 2 (p. 2): Regulations for the groom’s accession to power, regulations for the groom’s mother

Article 12/Part 2 (p. 2): Leibgedinge (rights of use, annual income of 8,000 Reichstaler, compensation for defects, etc.); the bride has no obligation with regard to debts incurred by the widow’s dower; receipt of widow’s property; inventory list (household goods, supplies), compensation for defects, structural condition; morning gift

Article 13/Part 2 (p. 2): If the bride dies before the groom and there are no heirs: Inventory list (reversion of inheritance), the groom receives the lifelong right of use of the dowry, further inheritance provisions

Article 14/Part 2 (p. 2): If the bride remarries after the death of the groom: Redemption; inheritance provisions for the descendants of the bride (first and second marriage); Payment regulations

Article 15/Part 2 (p. 2): Imperial confirmation; if the bride/groom dies before consummation of the marriage: marriage contract invalid; signatures, place, date

Regulations on succession to the throne

Article 4/Part 1 (p. 1): Provisions for the groom’s accession to the throne; validity of the primogeniture rule, imperial confirmation; provisions regarding the groom’s brothers and sisters, guardianships

Article 11/Part 2 (p. 2): Provisions for the groom’s accession to the throne, provisions for the groom’s mother

Regulations on inheritance law

Article 3/Part 1 (p. 1): Renunciation of inheritance by the bride, inheritance options by will

Article 4/Part 1 (p. 1): Regulations for the groom’s accession to the throne; validity of the primogeniture order, imperial confirmation; Regulations concerning the groom’s brothers and sisters, guardianships

Article 5/Part 1 (p. 1): Leibgedinge (rights of use, compensation for defects, etc.); freedom from debt of the widow’s property; supplies, household goods; use of the widow’s property; maintenance, other financial regulations; Inventory list (trousseau, etc.); commencement of widowhood; regulations regarding marriage property (20,000 Reichstaler dowry, 20,000 Reichstaler Donatio propter nuptias); if the bride dies: the dowry payment goes to the groom’s next heirs, inheritance regulations for the bride’s descendants (first and second marriage); Further inheritance arrangements; confirmation of the marriage contract

Article 9/Part 2 (p. 2): Renunciation of inheritance by the bride, consent of the groom, inheritance options by will

Article 13/Part 2 (p. 2): If the bride dies before the groom and there are no bodily heirs: inventory list (reversion of the estate), the groom receives the lifelong right of use of the dowry, further inheritance provisions

Article 14/Part 2 (p. 2): If the bride remarries after the death of the groom: redemption; inheritance provisions for the bride’s descendants (first and second marriage); payment provisions

External authorities involved

Article 4/Part 1 (p. 1): Provisions for the groom’s accession to the throne; Validity of the primogeniture rule, imperial confirmation; regulations concerning the groom’s brothers and sisters, guardianships

Article 15/Part 2 (p. 2): Imperial confirmation; if the bride/groom dies before consummation of the marriage: marriage contract invalid; signatures, place, date

Ratifications, confirmations, approvals

Article 4/Part 1 (p. 1): Regulations for the groom’s accession to the throne; validity of the primogeniture rule, imperial confirmation; regulations regarding the groom’s brothers and sisters, guardianships

Article 9/Part 2 (p. 2): Renunciation of inheritance by the bride, consent of the groom, inheritance options by will

Article 15/Part 2 (p. 2): Imperial confirmation; if the bride/groom dies before consummation of the marriage: marriage contract invalid; signatures, place, date

Text reference to past events

Article 7/Part 2 (p. 2): Marriage decided, possible assignment of another house; memory of the bride’s father mentioned

Commentary

Original contract not divided into articles

No pagination/numbering of the contract pages

The contract from p. 5 onwards was used in the digitised version

Literature

Hillenbrand, Markus; Fürstliche Eheverträge. Gottorfer Hausrecht 1544-1773, 1996, p. 69ff

References

• Archive copy: NLA AU Rep. 1 No. 293
• Contract language archive copy: German
• Digitized archive copy: https://www.arcinsys.niedersachsen.de/arcinsys/digitalisatViewer.action?detailid=v3494256

Recommended citation

Dynastische Eheverträge der frühen Neuzeit. Contract No. 391. Philipps University of Marburg. Available online at https://dynastische-ehevertraege.online.uni-marburg.de/en/vertraege/391.html.

@misc{ Dynastische Ehevertr{“a}ge der fr{”u}hen Neuzeit, 
title = {Dynastische Ehevertr{“a}ge der fr{”u}hen Neuzeit: Contract No. 391},
 url = {https://dynastische-ehevertraege.online.uni-marburg.de/en/vertraege/391.html}
}