Marriage contract no. 43: Brandenburg - Niederlande

Contract content

Preamble: In honour of God, to increase love and affection between the groom, the bride’s father and the bride’s brother: conclusion of marriage contract announced, marriage vows given to the bride (354 li, re)

Article 1: Marriage agreed in The Hague

Article 2: Dowry determined

Article 3: Trousseau regulated

Article 4: Bride’s right of inheritance reserved: paternal and maternal inheritance and succession rights

Article 5: Morning gift determined: payment regulated, for the bride’s lifetime

Article 6: Maintenance of the bride during the marriage determined: payment regulated until widowhood

Article 7: Maintenance of the bride during the marriage regulated: costs for wedding gifts and godparent gifts regulated

Article 8: Court of the bride regulated: remuneration of servants regulated

Article 9: Widow’s donatio propter nuptias and widow’s income determined: allowance to widow’s income regulated

Articles 10-12: Widow’s property regulated: in Kleve or Brandenburg, used as collateral for widow’s income, rights of use regulated

Articles 13-15: Widow’s property regulated: legal status of servants and subjects regulated, oath of allegiance to the bride regulated

Articles 16-17: Widow’s property regulated: rights of sovereignty excluded, condition and maintenance regulated

Article 18: Widow’s residence in Kleve guaranteed

Articles 19-20: Indemnity of widow’s property against debts and alienation guaranteed

Articles 21-22: After the death of the bride without children: use of dowry and estate by the groom for life, thereafter reversion regulated, widow’s property used as pledge for reversion.

Article: 23: After the death of the bride without surviving children: reversion of estate regulated, use of dowry by groom for life regulated.

Articles 24-26: After the death of the groom: transfer of widow’s property, gains and bridal jewellery to the bride regulated, trousseau of widow’s property regulated.

Articles 27-28: In the event of the bride’s second marriage: use or redemption of widow’s property regulated, payment of dowry and personal property to the bride regulated, interest or payment of donatio propter nuptias to the bride regulated, transfer of widow’s property regulated.

Article 29: After the death of the bride and groom without surviving children: Reversion of dowry, inheritance of bride’s estate to bride’s heirs regulated

Article 30: After the death of the groom: Upbringing of children by bride regulated, reformed religion of children prescribed

Article 31: After the death of the bride or groom before payment of the dowry: Validity of marriage contract agreed

Article 32: After the death of the bride or groom before the marriage: nullity of the marriage contract agreed

Article 33: Testamentary gifts between bride and groom regulated: except for dowry, widow’s property, gifts of property from the bride’s father and brother to the bride

Article 34: Compliance assured

Regulations on succession to the throne

Article 4: Bride’s right of inheritance reserved: to paternal and maternal inheritance and succession rights

Confessional regulations

Article 30: After the death of the groom: upbringing of children regulated by the bride, Reformed religion of the children prescribed

Regulations on inheritance law

Article 4: Bride’s inheritance rights reserved: to paternal and maternal inheritance and succession rights

Article 29: After the death of the bride and groom without surviving children: reversion of dowry, inheritance of the bride’s estate to the bride’s heirs regulated

Article 33: Testamentary gifts between bride and groom regulated: except for dowry, widow’s property, gifts of property from the bride’s father and brother to the bride

Ratifications, confirmations, approvals

between the contracting parties

Alliance agreement of The Hague, 4 September 1636

Literature

Hammer 2001, pp. 47-64, esp. p. 60

References

• Print reference: Dumont 1726-1739, vol. VI:1, pp. 354-360
• Contract language print: French
• Digitized print: https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k1263173g/f394.item

Recommended citation

Dynastische Eheverträge der frühen Neuzeit. Contract No. 43. Philipps University of Marburg. Available online at https://dynastische-ehevertraege.online.uni-marburg.de/en/vertraege/43.html.

@misc{ Dynastische Ehevertr{“a}ge der fr{”u}hen Neuzeit, 
title = {Dynastische Ehevertr{“a}ge der fr{”u}hen Neuzeit: Contract No. 43},
 url = {https://dynastische-ehevertraege.online.uni-marburg.de/en/vertraege/43.html}
}