Morganatic marriage
Morgana Tables marriage (Latin matrimonium morganaticum, Middle Latin formation to Old High German morgangeba " dowry " ) or left-handed marriage is a form of marriage in European nobility, in which one spouse - usually the wife - of niedererem stand was than the other ( " Nichtebenbürtigkeit ", see also Hypergamie ).
Morgana tables marriages could serve to legalize relations with mistresses. Also, they were received by the reigning monarch after the death of her first, befitting their wife when they had children, which ensured the succession, but wanted to enter into a marriage of love again - or if a more befitting marriage to dynastic entanglements could have led. Frequently morganatic marriages of younger sons of the royal houses were closed that were not eligible for the throne because of the common birthright.
Legal consequences
Although at a morganatic marriage did not enter all the usual legal consequences of marriage, she was a state and church that have been made properly marriage. Which emerged from her children were legitimate offspring of the Father, which even in the highest circles ascended in some cases (see Mary of Teck, wife of King George V of the United Kingdom, granddaughter of Prince Alexander of Württemberg and Claudine Rhédey, later Countess of Hohenstein ).
The rights of the offspring followed " the fret hand ", so they were only in the civil rights of the lower spouse, usually the mother, a. They were therefore not entitled to inherit as a rule, and - if it was a reigning prince house - are excluded from the succession. Neither the wife nor the descendants were members of the husband's family and led neither its title nor its coat of arms. In the log it ranged, although wives, even behind the recent princes and princesses, which is why, for example, the Prussian King Friedrich Wilhelm III 's widow. not able to attend his official funeral ceremony at the Berlin Cathedral. Often the nichtebenbürtige spouse was increased by a monarch in the state.
As the widow and the offspring were not entitled to inherit, had their financial supply after the death of the husband be secured in his own lifetime by a marriage contract, hence the name matrimonium ad morganaticam or " marriage to mere dowry ".
The morganatic marriage was abolished in Germany 1919.
Examples from Germany
Examples from the House of Habsburg
Examples from other countries
Belgium
Denmark
France
- King Louis XIV was after the death of Queen Maria Theresa of Spain in October 1683 with his mistress, Madame de Maintenon, secretly a left-handed marriage a. Until his death, he lived with her and visited her every day in their rooms.
- 1803 married Napoleon's youngest brother Jerome Bonaparte, the American Elizabeth Patterson. The marriage was never recognized by Napoleon and later even canceled by him, so that his brother could marry a Princess of Württemberg.
1821 married Count of Neipperg the ex-Empress Marie Louise (former wife of Napoleon I). The marriage produced three children.
Greece
- King Alexander married 1919 Civil Aspasia Manos. The only daughter Alexandra became Queen of Yugoslavia.
Italy
Naples and Sicily
Romania
- King Charles II married twice morganatic Ioana and Elena Lupescu Lambrino.
Russia
Sardinia
Sweden
- Prince Carl, great-uncle of King Carl XVI. Gustaf, married Elsa von Rosen in 1937 and thereby lost the salutation Royal Highness and was allowed to only Prince Carl Bernadotte call.