Marriage contract no. 88: Pfalz-Neuburg - Österreich

Contract content

Article 1 (fol. 01r-02r): Names of the parties involved, groom named, marriage decided, bride mentioned; courtship of the bride’s mother mentioned, consent of the bride’s mother mentioned, deliberation and agreement mentioned

Article 2 (fol. 02r-02v): Decision on the subsequent marriage contract regulated

Article 3 (fol. 02v): Consent of the bride and groom regulated

Article 4 (fol. 02v-03r): The donatio propter nuptias amounts to 100,000 guilders, payment to be made to the groom, payment deadlines set, payment arrangements specified?, insurance arranged, insurance set at 6% per annum; promissory note arranged

Article 5 (fol. 03r-04r): The donatio propter nuptias amounts to 100,000 guilders; the morning gift amounts to 25,000 guilders; cash payment by the Emperor regulated?; insurance regulated; the widow’s pension amounts to 12,000 Reichstaler or 18,000 guilders annually for clothing and at her free disposal; remuneration of her servants, the Lord Chamberlain and the personal physician regulated by the eldest son? Breakdown of the 12,000 talers/18,000 guilders: 4,000 talers from ? and 2,000 talers from the wine cellar and ? arranged, 1,500 talers from the wine cellar arranged ?, a further 2,000 talers from a wine cellar arranged? 1,500 talers from the Blankenberg rent office, 1,000 talers from the rent office? arranged, prescription arranged?

Article 6 (fol. 04r-04v): Insurance settled to ensure the bride’s lifestyle befitting her rank and her court, groom and his sons settled as successors, transfer of government, territories, regional court of justice, etc. settled?, ?, complete disposition settled, ?, consent of the estates mentioned?; ?,?, succession of government, property and the princely house regulated: government for minor male heirs by the bride (guardianship) regulated?, assumption of government by the male heir upon reaching the age of majority regulated; guardianship and education also by the councillors? and insurance regulated?

Article 7 (fol. 04v-07r): If the groom dies and?: The bride may choose the Duchy of Jülich-Berg, Neuburg? as her place of residence, widow’s residence mentioned, free choice of widow’s residence according to the bride’s wishes in neighbouring places regulated, groom’s father and bride’s father?, insurance and signature regulated, lifelong widow’s maintenance during the widowhood period regulated, trousseau of the widow’s residence with all necessities regulated; the widow’s pension amounts to 35,000 guilders per annum, regardless of whether there are descendants or not, 5,330 1/3 talers from the Jülich Rentmeisterei, 3,000 from the Jülich Kellerei?, 3,000 from the Jülich and Altenhoffen Kellerei?, 3,000 from the Bergisch Rentmeisterei Blankenberg, 3,000 from the Bergisch Rentmeisterei?, 3,000 from the Rentmeisterei Steinbach, 3,000?, 23,333 1/3, prescription of offices regulated, payment and pledging regulated?; if the bride remarries after the death of the groom: the widow’s residence and the 35,000 guilders annual widow’s pension are to be relinquished, the bride receives the dowry, the morning gift, the clothes, jewellery, etc., movable property, 5,000 guilders? and the donatio propter nuptias at 6% per annum; the widow shall receive jewellery, gold and silver tableware, as well as her other possessions and items that she brought with her and received during her marriage, as well as wedding gifts; if the bride dies before the groom: The groom receives the donatio propter nuptias and the morning gift; the groom receives the lifelong right of use of the dowry, the trousseau, and the bride’s other possessions if the bride has not left a will; after the groom’s death, this estate passes to the joint descendants of the marriage; if there are no joint descendants from the marriage: The estate passes to the next heirs of the ancestral house if the bride has not left a will; if the bride or groom dies before consummation of the marriage: the contract is invalid; Renunciation of inheritance by the bride to all paternal and fraternal inheritance regulated, the bride and her descendants are admitted as heirs if all male heirs of the house predecease her, succession regulated according to the law and equity of the archhouse? Succession regulated? Ratification and sealing by the groom’s representative and the groom regulated

Article 8 (fol. 07r-08r): Compliance with the contract promised, two copies of the contract regulated, each party receives a copy of the contract, sealing and signatures regulated, signatures of the parties

Regulations on succession to the throne

Article 6 (fol. 04r-04v): Assurance regulated to ensure the bride’s life befitting her status and her court, groom and his sons regulated as successors, transfer of government, territories, regional court of justice, etc. regulated?, ?, complete disposition regulated, ?, consent of the estates mentioned?; ?,?, succession of government, property and the princely house regulated: government for minor male heirs by the bride (guardianship) regulated?, accession to government by the male heir upon reaching the age of majority regulated; guardianship and education also by the councillors? and insurance regulated

Regulations on inheritance law

Article 6 (fol. 04r-04v): Insurance regulated to ensure the bride’s lifestyle befitting her status and her court, groom and his sons regulated as successors, transfer of government, territories, regional court of justice, etc. regulated?, ?, complete disposition regulated, ?, consent of the estates mentioned?; ?,?, succession of government, property and the princely house regulated: government for minor male heirs by the bride (guardianship) regulated?, accession to government by the male heir upon reaching the age of majority regulated; guardianship and education also by the councillors? and insurance regulated

Article 7 (fol. 04v-07r): If the groom dies and?: The bride may choose the Duchy of Jülich-Berg, Neuburg? as her place of residence, widow’s residence mentioned, free choice of widow’s residence according to the bride’s wishes in neighbouring places regulated, groom’s father and bride’s father?, insurance and signature regulated, lifelong widow’s maintenance during the widowhood period regulated, furnishing of the widow’s residence with all necessities regulated; the widow’s pension amounts to 35,000 guilders per annum, regardless of whether there are descendants or not, 5,330 1/3 talers from the Jülich Rentmeisterei, 3,000 from the Jülich Kellerei?, 3,000 from the Jülich and Altenhoffen Kellerei?, 3,000 from the Bergisch Rentmeisterei Blankenberg, 3,000 from the Bergisch Rentmeisterei?, 3,000 from the Rentmeisterei Steinbach, 3,000?, 23,333 1/3, prescription of offices regulated, payment and pledging regulated?; if the bride remarries after the death of the groom: the widow’s residence and the 35,000 guilders annual widow’s pension are to be relinquished, the bride receives the dowry, the morning gift, the clothes, jewellery, etc., movable property, 5,000 guilders? and the donatio propter nuptias at 6% per annum; the widow shall receive jewellery, gold and silver tableware, as well as her other possessions and items that she received during her marriage and wedding gifts; if the bride dies before the groom: The groom receives the donatio propter nuptias and the morning gift; the groom receives the lifelong right of use of the dowry, the trousseau, and the bride’s other possessions if the bride has not left a will; after the groom’s death, this estate passes to the joint descendants of the marriage; if there are no joint descendants of the marriage: The estate passes to the next heirs of the ancestral house if the bride has not left a will; if the bride or groom dies before consummation of the marriage: the contract is invalid; Renunciation of inheritance by the bride to all paternal and fraternal inheritance regulated, the bride and her descendants are admitted as heirs if all male heirs of the house die before her, succession regulated according to the law and equity of the archhouse? Succession regulated? Ratification and sealing by the groom’s representative and the groom regulated

Estates involved

Article 6 (fol. 04r-04v): Insurance regulated to ensure the bride’s life and court in accordance with her status, groom and his sons regulated as successors, transfer of government, territories, regional court of justice, etc. regulated?, ?, complete disposition regulated, ?, consent of the estates mentioned?; ?,?, succession of government, property and the princely house regulated: government for minor male heirs by the bride (guardianship) regulated?, accession to government by the male heir upon reaching the age of majority regulated; guardianship and education also by the councillors? and insurance regulated

Ratifications, confirmations, approvals

Article 7 (fol. 04v-07r): If the groom dies and?: The bride may choose the Duchy of Jülich-Berg, Neuburg? as her place of residence, widow’s residence mentioned, free choice of widow’s residence according to the bride’s wishes in neighbouring places regulated, groom’s father and bride’s father?, insurance and signature regulated, lifelong widow’s maintenance during the widowhood period regulated, provision of the widow’s residence with all necessities regulated; the widow’s pension amounts to 35,000 guilders per annum, regardless of whether there are descendants or not, 5,330 1/3 talers from the Jülich Rentmeisterei, 3,000 from the Jülich Kellerei?, 3,000 from the Jülich and Altenhoffen Kellerei?, 3,000 from the Bergisch Rentmeisterei Blankenberg, 3,000 from the Bergisch Rentmeisterei?, 3,000 from the Rentmeisterei Steinbach, 3,000?, 23,333 1/3, prescription of offices regulated, payment and pledging regulated?; if the bride remarries after the death of the groom: the widow’s residence and the 35,000 guilders annual widow’s pension are to be relinquished, the bride receives the dowry, the morning gift, the clothes, jewellery, etc., movable property, 5,000 guilders? and the donatio propter nuptias at 6% per annum; the widow shall receive jewellery, gold and silver tableware, as well as her other possessions and items that she brought with her and received during her marriage, as well as wedding gifts; if the bride dies before the groom: The groom receives the donatio propter nuptias and the morning gift; the groom receives the lifelong right of use of the dowry, the trousseau? and the bride’s other possessions, if the bride has not left a will? After the death of the groom, this estate passes to the joint descendants of the marriage; if there are no joint heirs from the marriage: The estate passes to the next heirs of the ancestral house if the bride has not left a will; if the bride or groom dies before consummation of the marriage: the contract is invalid; Renunciation of inheritance by the bride to all paternal and fraternal inheritance regulated, the bride and her descendants are admitted as heirs if all male heirs of the house predecease her, succession regulated according to the law and equity of the archhouse? Succession regulated? Ratification and sealing by the groom’s representative and the groom regulated

Commentary

No numbering/foldering of the contract pages Original contract divided into articles

Literature

References

• Archive copy: HHSTA Austria FUK 1764 1678 IX 23
• Contract language archive copy: German

Recommended citation

Dynastische Eheverträge der frühen Neuzeit. Contract No. 88. Philipps University of Marburg. Available online at https://dynastische-ehevertraege.online.uni-marburg.de/en/vertraege/88.html.

@misc{ Dynastische Ehevertr{“a}ge der fr{”u}hen Neuzeit, 
title = {Dynastische Ehevertr{“a}ge der fr{”u}hen Neuzeit: Contract No. 88},
 url = {https://dynastische-ehevertraege.online.uni-marburg.de/en/vertraege/88.html}
}