Marriage contract no. 69: Schweden - Schleswig-Holstein-Gottorf

Contract content

[Pre] – to the praise of God, for the strengthening and welfare of the Swedish Crown and both dynasties, to confirm friendship and kinship: marriage agreement announced (Image 4 right – Image 5 left)

1 – Marriage vows given to bride – Lutheran religious practice assured for bride and her children with royal household and court chaplain (Image 5 left)

2 – Dowry determined: payment arranged in return for the bride’s renunciation of inheritance – bride’s renunciation of inheritance arranged: paternal, maternal and fraternal inheritance, with the groom’s consent, except for testamentary bequests to the bride (Image 5 left – Image 6 left)

[2a] – Trousseau regulated (Image 6 left)

[2b] – After the death of the bride without surviving children: use of dowry by groom regulated, inheritance of trousseau and accrued gains regulated, reversion of dowry after death of groom regulated (Image 6 left – Image 6 right)

3 – Morning gift determined: payment and use regulated (Fig. 6 right – Fig. 7 left)

[4] – Widow’s income and widow’s property determined: rights of use regulated (Fig. 7 left – Fig. 7 right)

[5] – Widow’s property exempt from costs of raising children (Fig. 7 right)

[6] – Widow’s property regulated: homage and legal status of subjects regulated, debt liability and taxation regulated, appointment of officials regulated, rights of sovereignty reserved (Image 7 right)

[7] – Widow’s property regulated: furnishings, condition, maintenance and repair in the event of damage regulated, indemnity for the groom’s debts guaranteed (Fig. 8 left – Fig. 8 right)

[8] – Widow’s maintenance summarised (Fig. 8 right – Fig. 9 left)

[9] – In the event of remarriage or the bride’s departure abroad during her widowhood: redemption of widow’s property in return for payment of dowry, donatio propter nuptias and morning gift regulated, inheritance or reversion of dowry and donatio propter nuptias regulated, widow’s property used as collateral for reversion of dowry and morning gift (Fig. 9 left – Fig. 10 left)

[10] – Protection of bride during widowhood regulated, ratification of widow’s property deed by groom and Swedish imperial estates guaranteed (Image 10 left)

[11] – After death of bride or groom before marriage: nullity of marriage contract regulated (Image 10 left – right)

[Esch] – Execution and ratification regulated (Fig. 10 right)

Confessional regulations

Lutheran religious practice guaranteed for bride and her children with court and court chaplain – 1

Regulations on inheritance law

Dowry determined: payment regulated in return for the bride’s renunciation of inheritance – bride’s renunciation of inheritance regulated: paternal, maternal and fraternal inheritance, with the consent of the groom, except for testamentary bequests to the bride – 2

After the death of the bride without surviving children: use of dowry by groom regulated, inheritance of trousseau and accrued gains regulated, reversion of dowry after death of groom regulated – 2b

In the event of second marriage or departure of the bride abroad during widowhood: inheritance or reversion of donatio propter nuptias and dowry regulated – 9

Estates involved

Ratification of widow’s property deed by groom and Swedish estates assured - 10

Ratifications, confirmations, approvals

Ratification of widow’s property deed by groom and Swedish estates assured - 10

Execution and ratification regulated - Esch

Further contracts between contracting parties

Alliance treaty 10 September 1657

Renewed alliance treaty 24 September 1658

Literature

Rangström 2010, pp. 132-143.

Hillenbrand, Markus; Fürstliche Eheverträge. Gottorfer Hausrecht 1544-1773, 1996, p. 84ff

References

• Archive copy: Stockholm, Riksarkivet, Konungahusens urkunder, 39 Urkunder angående konung Karl X Gustafs och prinsessan Hedvig Eleonoras af Holstein-Gottorp giftermål 1654, nr. 39 b Heirathskontraktet
• Language of contract archive copy: German
• Digital copy archive copy: https://sok.riksarkivet.se/bildvisning/R0001253

Recommended citation

Dynastische Eheverträge der frühen Neuzeit. Contract No. 69. Philipps University of Marburg. Available online at https://dynastische-ehevertraege.online.uni-marburg.de/en/vertraege/69.html.

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title = {Dynastische Ehevertr{“a}ge der fr{”u}hen Neuzeit: Contract No. 69},
 url = {https://dynastische-ehevertraege.online.uni-marburg.de/en/vertraege/69.html}
}