Marriage contract no. 48: Mantua - Österreich

Contract content

Article 1 (fol. 01r-1v): Groom, bride, Eleonore (sister of the groom, wife of the emperor); Ferdinand Karl, Maximilian?; Advisor and companion named; Marriage arranged by proxy, proxy named

Article 2 (fol. 01v-02r): The dowry amounts to 45,000 guilders?; payment arrangements mentioned; gift of a further 15,000 guilders arranged?; payment period of 2 years mentioned; ? pledge arranged; Archduke Robert mentioned

Article 3 (fol. 02r): Widow’s property arranged?; pledge arranged; annual allowance arranged?

Article 4 (fol. 02r): ?; donatio propter nuptias regulated; consummation of the marriage mentioned; annual and lifelong pension of 7,000 guilders regulated?

Article 5 (fol. 02v): Morning gift regulated at the discretion of the groom?

Article 6 (fol. 02v): Trousseau (jewels, clothes, jewellery) regulated

Article 7 (fol. 02v): Inheritance regulations after the death of the bride mentioned?: The groom receives the dowry or return regulated?

Article 8 (fol. 02v-03r): If the groom dies before the bride: The bride receives the annual pension of 7,000 guilders, the donatio propter nuptias? and the dowry for as long as she remains a widow, even if the bride leaves the duchy?

Article 9 (fol. 03r-03v): If the groom dies before the bride and there are or are not joint descendants and the bride remarries: The bride receives the dowry, the donatio propter nuptias, the annual pension, the trousseau and her other possessions; Assignment of the life estate for 30,000 guilders possible, return of the dowry or the donatio propter nuptias regulated?; the bride may bequeath the 30,000 guilders and the trousseau according to her own wishes.

Article 10 (fol. 03v-04r): Deficiencies in the provision for the bride must be compensated for?; Authentication of the contract by the bride’s representative regulated?; Travel of the bride and her trousseau mentioned; Renunciation of inheritance by the bride for herself and her heirs to all parental and fraternal inheritance as well as succession regulated, inheritance on the bride’s side only occurs if there are no male heirs in her family; Sealing, confirmation and ratification by the groom regulated.

Article 11 (fol. 04r): Signatures, sealing and confirmation of the contract mentioned; ratification and dating mentioned; signatures of the parties involved.

Regulations on inheritance law

Article 7 (fol. 02v): Inheritance law provisions after the death of the bride mentioned?: The groom receives the dowry or return regulated?

Article 8 (fol. 02v-03r): If the groom dies before the bride: The bride receives the annual pension of 7,000 guilders, the donatio propter nuptias? and the dowry as long as she remains a widow, even if the bride leaves the duchy?

Article 9 (fol. 03r-03v): If the groom dies before the bride and there are or are not joint descendants and the bride remarries: The bride receives the dowry, the donatio propter nuptias, the annual pension, the trousseau and her other possessions; Assignment of the life estate for 30,000 guilders possible, return of the dowry or the donatio propter nuptias regulated?; the bride may bequeath the 30,000 guilders and the trousseau according to her own wishes.

Article 10 (fol. 03v-04r): Deficiencies in the provision for the bride must be compensated for?; Authentication of the contract by the bride’s representative regulated?; Travel of the bride and her trousseau mentioned; Renunciation of inheritance by the bride for herself and her heirs to all parental and fraternal inheritance as well as succession regulated, inheritance on the bride’s side only occurs if there are no male heirs in her family; Sealing, confirmation and ratification by the groom regulated.

External authorities involved

Article 2 (fol. 01v-02r): The dowry amounts to 45,000 guilders?; Payment arrangements specified; Gift of a further 15,000 guilders regulated?; Payment period of 2 years specified; ? Pledge regulated; Archduke Robert mentioned

Ratifications, confirmations, approvals

Article 10 (fol. 03v-04r): Deficiencies in the provision for the bride must be compensated for?; Authentication of the contract by the bride’s representative regulated?; Mention of the bride’s journey and trousseau; renunciation of inheritance by the bride for herself and her heirs to all parental and fraternal inheritance and succession regulated, inheritance on the bride’s side only occurs if there are no male heirs in her family; sealing, confirmation and ratification by the groom regulated

Article 11 (fol. 04r): Signatures, sealing and confirmation of the contract mentioned; ratification and dating mentioned.

Commentary

Original contract divided into articles.

No foliation/numbering of the contract pages.

Some pages of the contract appear to be missing.

References

• Archive copy: AT-OeStA/HHStA UR FUK 1685
• Contract language archive copy: Latin

Recommended citation

Dynastische Eheverträge der frühen Neuzeit. Contract No. 48. Philipps University of Marburg. Available online at https://dynastische-ehevertraege.online.uni-marburg.de/en/vertraege/48.html.

@misc{ Dynastische Ehevertr{“a}ge der fr{”u}hen Neuzeit, 
title = {Dynastische Ehevertr{“a}ge der fr{”u}hen Neuzeit: Contract No. 48},
 url = {https://dynastische-ehevertraege.online.uni-marburg.de/en/vertraege/48.html}
}