| Abstrakt: |
Abstract: In the life of a young noble, marriage represented the definitive transition to adulthood. The nobility approached marriage arrangements with an awareness of the necessity of preserving dynastic continuity. In the search for suitable brides, the factors taken into consideration, alongside family background and age also included the potential financial asset to the husband and, among the more prominent families, even the political consequences of the union. Over the course of the 16th century marriages came to an increasing degree to be concluded between members of the Czech nobility and foreign aristocracy. Period sources provide evidence of how strong an influence family and the types of nobility and friends had on the selection of a partner. Prior to concluding a marriage, a marriage contract was drawn up, which laid out the financial provisions, primarily for the noblewoman should shebe widowed, but also stipulated the level of dowry her husband was to receive. In early medieval aristocratic society, the wedding, like other festivals, served mainly a representative function. In some cases there were hundreds of participants present at a wedding, which caused a tremendous increase in the costs of the event. |
