Marriage contract no. 8: Hessen-Kassel - Anhalt-Dessau

Contract content

[Pre] – In the name of the Holy Trinity, to praise and honour God, to foster good friendship, out of goodwill and deliberation, with the consent of the bride and groom: marriage agreement concluded, contract signed (3)

[1] – Marriage vows exchanged by bride and groom (3)

[2] – Dowry determined: in accordance with Anhalt house law, trousseau regulated, trousseau regulated – in return: bride’s renunciation of inheritance rights to her father’s, mother’s, brother’s and sister’s estates, except for inheritance claims in the event of the extinction of the Anhalt house in the male line, with the consent of the groom (3-4)

[3] – Widow’s property and widow’s income determined: in return for dowry payment, rights of use regulated (4-5)

[4-5] – Widow’s property regulated: swearing-in and legal status of officials and subjects regulated (5-6)

[6] – Widow’s property regulated: secular and ecclesiastical rights of sovereignty, jurisdiction and church visitation reserved, opening and compensation regulated (6)

[7] – Widow’s property regulated: protection guaranteed by the Landgrave of Hesse (6-7)

[8] – Widow’s property regulated: opening and sale to third parties, alliances with third parties prohibited, use and preservation of wood regulated (7)

[9] – Widow’s property regulated: compensation for loss of income regulated (7-8)

[10] – After death of groom: guardianship of minor children regulated in accordance with Hessian domestic law, receipt of widow’s property regulated, personal possessions of bride as widow regulated, furnishings and condition of widow’s residence regulated (8-9)

[11] – In the event of the bride’s second marriage: redemption of widow’s property, payment of dowry and lifelong interest on the donatio propter nuptias regulated, if applicable, inheritance of dowry and estate of the bride to children from first and second marriages regulated (9-10)

[12] – in the event of the death of the bride without children: reversion of dowry and widow’s property, inheritance of estate regulated (10)

[13] – after the death of the bride without children: lifelong use of the dowry by the groom, thereafter reversion of the dowry regulated (10)

[14] – Ownership of wedding gifts regulated: jewellery given to the bride, silverware divided (10-11)

[15] – Liability for debts of the bride regulated (11)

[16] – Morning gift determined: interest, use, inheritance and redemption regulated (11-12)

[17] – In the event of the death of the bride or groom after the wedding but before the dowry has been paid: validity of the marriage contract agreed (12)

[18] – In the event of the death of the bride or groom before the wedding: nullity of the marriage contract agreed (12)

[Esch] – Compliance promised (12-13)

Regulations on inheritance law

Dowry determined: in return: bride’s renunciation of inheritance rights to her father’s, mother’s, brother’s and sister’s estates, except for inheritance claims in the event of the extinction of the Anhalt family in the male line, with the groom’s consent – 2

in the event of the bride’s second marriage: inheritance of the bride’s dowry and estate by children from the first and second marriages regulated, if applicable – 11

in the event of the bride’s death without children: reversion of dowry and widow’s property, inheritance of estate regulated – 12

Morning gift determined: interest, use, inheritance and redemption regulated - 16

References

• Archive copy: Marburg, Staatsarchiv, Urk. 3, Nr. 292
• Contract language archive copy: German

Recommended citation

Dynastische Eheverträge der frühen Neuzeit. Contract No. 8. Philipps University of Marburg. Available online at https://dynastische-ehevertraege.online.uni-marburg.de/en/vertraege/8.html.

@misc{ Dynastische Ehevertr{“a}ge der fr{”u}hen Neuzeit, 
title = {Dynastische Ehevertr{“a}ge der fr{”u}hen Neuzeit: Contract No. 8},
 url = {https://dynastische-ehevertraege.online.uni-marburg.de/en/vertraege/8.html}
}