Marriage contract no. 94: Holstein-Gottorf - Russland

Contract content

[Pre] – Marriage proposal made – Consent of the bride’s father given: out of affection, love and friendship for the groom – Contract concluded (3)

1 – Marriage vows exchanged: for bride, by groom

2 – Bride’s renunciation of Russian crown settled: for bride and her descendants, exclusion from Russian crown declared, with consent of groom, compliance assured

3 – Orthodox religious practice of bride assured

4 – Child rearing settled: Lutheran upbringing for sons, Orthodox upbringing for daughters prescribed

5 – Dowry settled, dowry determined

6 – Donatio propter nuptias determined, interest settled

7 – Morning gift determined

8 – Maintenance of the bride during the marriage determined: for personal needs, in addition to interest from the morning gift and donation propter nuptias

9 – Prescription of maintenance goods guaranteed: for interest on the morning gift and donation propter nuptias

10 – The bride’s household was regulated: the appointment and remuneration of servants was regulated

11-12 – Widow’s income, widow’s residence and widow’s property were regulated: improvement was guaranteed, legal status and homage of subjects were regulated, rights of use were regulated, interest on donation propter nuptias and morning gift was regulated

13 – Child rearing regulated: indemnity of widow’s income guaranteed

14-15 – Widow’s residence regulated: trousseau, compensation and use regulated – bride’s personal property regulated

16 – In the event of the bride’s second marriage without children: payment of dowry and morning gift regulated, widow’s property used as collateral for payment

17 – In the event of the bride’s second marriage with children: payment of trousseau and half of the dowry and morning gift regulated – indemnity of widow’s property from debts guaranteed

18 – Inheritance of the bride’s estate by children regulated

19-20 – After the death of the bride without surviving children: Use of dowry and trousseau by groom regulated, reversion regulated after death of groom, widow’s property used as collateral for repayment

21 – in the event of Swedish succession to the throne by the groom: improvement of the bride’s maintenance during the marriage, improvement of the bride’s court, morning gift, widow’s residence and widow’s income guaranteed

Three secret articles:

[Secr 1] – despite the bride’s renunciation of the Russian crown: reservation of the right to appoint the son as heir to the Russian throne, if necessary, regulation of the son’s extradition for succession to the Russian throne (16f.)

[Secr 2] – following the declaration of the Swedish Imperial Estates on 19 November 1723 regarding the Swedish succession of the groom: Russian support for the groom’s succession to the throne guaranteed if necessary, approval of all Russian-Swedish treaties by the groom as King of Sweden guaranteed if necessary (17-19)

[Secr 3] – in accordance with the Russian-Swedish defensive alliance of 22 February 1724: Russian support for the recovery of Gottorf’s share in the Duchy of Schleswig guaranteed, Russian defensive alliance with Schleswig-Holstein-Gottorf promised if necessary (19-20)

Regulations on succession to the throne

in the event of the groom’s succession to the Swedish throne: improvement of the bride’s maintenance during the marriage, improvement of the bride’s court, morning gift, widow’s residence and widow’s income guaranteed – 21

despite the bride’s renunciation of the Russian crown: reservation of the right to appoint the son as heir to the Russian throne, if necessary, regulation of the son’s extradition for the Russian succession - Secr 1

according to the declaration of the Swedish Imperial Estates on 19 November 1723 on the Swedish succession of the groom: Russian support for the groom’s succession to the throne guaranteed if necessary - Sec. 2

Confessional regulations

Orthodox religious practice of the bride guaranteed - 3

Child rearing regulated: Lutheran upbringing for sons, Orthodox upbringing for daughters prescribed - 4

Regulations on inheritance law

Bride’s renunciation of the Russian crown regulated: for the bride and her descendants, exclusion from inheritance of the Russian crown declared, with the consent of the groom, compliance assured - 2

Inheritance of the bride’s estate by children regulated - 18

after death of bride without surviving children: after death of groom, reversion regulated – 19-20

despite bride’s renunciation of inheritance to Russian crown: reservation of right to appoint son as heir to Russian throne, if necessary, delivery of son for Russian succession regulated - Secr 1

Estates involved

Declaration of the Swedish Estates of the Realm of 19 November 1723 on Swedish succession to the throne mentioned – Secr 2

External authorities involved

Declaration of the Swedish Estates of the Realm of 19 November 1723 on Swedish succession to the throne mentioned – Secr 2

Text reference to past events

Declaration of the Swedish Estates General of 19 November 1723 on Swedish succession to the throne mentioned – Secr 2, Russian-Swedish defensive alliance of 22 February 1724 mentioned – Secr 3

Commentary

NB political and military provisions included: Russian support for Swedish succession to the throne of the groom assured, Russian support for regaining Gottorf’s share of the Duchy of Schleswig assured, Russian defensive alliance with Schleswig-Holstein-Gottorf promised if necessary – Secr 2-3

Literature

Hillenbrand 1996, esp. p. 125 f. on renunciation of inheritance

References

• Print reference: CTS 32, p. 1-20
• Contract language print: Russian, German

Recommended citation

Dynastische Eheverträge der frühen Neuzeit. Contract No. 94. Philipps University of Marburg. Available online at https://dynastische-ehevertraege.online.uni-marburg.de/en/vertraege/94.html.

@misc{ Dynastische Ehevertr{“a}ge der fr{”u}hen Neuzeit, 
title = {Dynastische Ehevertr{“a}ge der fr{”u}hen Neuzeit: Contract No. 94},
 url = {https://dynastische-ehevertraege.online.uni-marburg.de/en/vertraege/94.html}
}