Charters were already written in the Roman period. The oldest archival document in the Netherlands is the (false) charter that the German king Otto I granted in 950 to the Limburg abbey of Thorn. The oldest surviving written document is the wooden writing tablet of Tolsum, from 28 AD.

In the early Middle Ages charters were written on papyrus. Then they switched to the extremely durable parchment, which is made from the skin of cows, goats, sheep or other animals. In the course of the fourteenth century paper was also used.

Ecclesiastical and secular dignitaries such as popes, bishops, abbots/abbesses, emperors/empresses, kings/queens, dukes/duchesses and counts/countesses were the first to record their agreements in charters. From the twelfth century onward, city governments, knights, priests, citizens and farmers followed.

In the early Middle Ages the signature was the most common form used in Western Europe to give charters a mark of legal validity. From the end of the ninth century, bishops have given evidentiary force to their charters by a seal. In the course of the eleventh century seals became more common. Emperors, bishops and princes seal first, followed by nobles, monasteries and cities. Since the 13th century, aldermen and prominent citizens also have their own seal. Most seals are made of beeswax, but the popes used lead and a number of high princes and church leaders gold or silver. A seal was not only the means of ratifying a charter, but also served as a status symbol for the owner.

Charters are official documents, but were also forged. Especially in the twelfth century many false charters were made. Because one could claim his right with a charter, it was attractive to fabricate a charter yourself when you had no legal title.

Initially charters were written in Latin. From the thirteenth century onward, charters in the vernacular also appeared. The oldest vernacular charter in Dutch Limburg dates from 1294.

Charters were carefully preserved in large chests or cabinets. Many charters have also been transcribed in registers, so we still know many medieval texts that have not survived in the original. The fragile parchment charters are now kept in archives equipped with fire-resistant doors, advanced climate control and alarm systems.

Medieval writers usually used a quill, but sometimes also a reed stem. The ink was iron gall ink, which consisted of iron salt, tannin from oak galls, water or wine and a binder (Arabic gum).

A charter is an official, written document intended to serve as proof of a legally valid agreement between two or more persons. It is drawn up according to fixed rules and forms that vary according to the place where the charter originated and the period.