Marriage contract no. 42: Mecklenburg-Güstrow - Dänemark

Contract content

Preamble (582): Courtship, request by the groom for the groomsmen to promote the courtship, after obtaining the bride’s consent

Article 1 (582): In the name of the Holy Trinity, for the advancement of Christianity, for the creation of closer kinship and for the benefit of both houses: Marriage decided, consummation of the marriage set

Article 2: Marriage negotiations, agreement on matrimonial property expressed

Article 3: Dowry determined: Dowry from first marriage used, widow’s income determined, delivery of documents regulated

Article 4: After the death of the bride: Remaining of dowry with groom regulated, to groom’s hereditary property, delivery of documents regulated

Article 5: Trousseau regulated

Article 6: Widow’s income determined: in addition to income from first marriage, improvement guaranteed if necessary, widow’s pension regulated, if necessary without allowance from Duke Johann Albrecht

Article 7: Register of widow’s property, instruction of subjects regarding widow’s property, morning gift, bride’s estate regulated

Article 8: Renunciation of inheritance by bride from first marriage confirmed, repeated for second marriage

Article 9: Consent of groom’s brothers, reserved for emperor if applicable

Regulations on inheritance law

Article 4: After the death of the bride: dowry remains with the groom, becomes part of the groom’s hereditary property, delivery of documents regulated

Article 7: Register of widow’s property, instructions to subjects regarding widow’s property, morning gift, bride’s estate regulated

Article 8: Confirmation of the bride’s renunciation of inheritance from her first marriage, repeated for her second marriage

External authorities involved

Article 9: Subject to the consent of the Emperor, if applicable

Ratifications, confirmations, approvals

Article 9: Subject to the consent of the groom’s brothers, and of the Emperor, if applicable

Further contracts between contracting parties

Agreement of Schwaan, 28 August 1551, on widow’s income of the bride from her first marriage (DNT I, pp. 553-561)

Agreement of Copenhagen, 12 November 1555, on widow’s income of the bride from her first marriage (DNT I, pp. 576-580)

Commentary

After the death of Elisabeth’s first husband, Duke Magnus III of Mecklenburg: dispute over dower (Laursen)

cf. Elisabeth’s declaration of renunciation of inheritance, 17 February 1556 (DNT I, pp. 588-590)

Literature

Laursen in DNT I, pp. 553-558, 581 f.

References

• Print reference: DNT I, pp. 582-588
• Contract language print: German

Recommended citation

Dynastische Eheverträge der frühen Neuzeit. Contract No. 42. Philipps University of Marburg. Available online at https://dynastische-ehevertraege.online.uni-marburg.de/en/vertraege/42.html.

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title = {Dynastische Ehevertr{“a}ge der fr{”u}hen Neuzeit: Contract No. 42},
 url = {https://dynastische-ehevertraege.online.uni-marburg.de/en/vertraege/42.html}
}