Charter

The word entered the English language from the Old French charte, via Latin charta, and ultimately from Greek χάρτης (khartes, meaning "layer of papyrus").

[3][4] Anglo-Saxon charters are documents from the early medieval period in Britain which typically make a grant of land or record a privilege.

They are usually written on parchment, in Latin but often with sections in the vernacular, describing the bounds of estates, which often correspond closely to modern parish boundaries.

The British Empire used three main types of colonies as it sought to expand its territory to distant parts of the earth.

In medieval Europe, royal charters were used to create cities (i.e., localities with recognised legal rights and privileges).

The date that such a charter was granted is considered to be when a city was "founded", regardless of when the locality originally began to be settled.

At one time a royal charter was the only way in which an incorporated body could be formed, but other means (such as the registration process for limited companies) are generally now used instead.