Brabant Charters

History of the conservation of the Brabant charters.

These charters have been preserved in the archives for as long as they have been in existence.
In 1307, Philip the Fair specified the duties of the first Guardians of the Charters.
In Brabant, the happy entry of 03 January 1356 stipulated that the charters would continue to be kept in Leuven in a room in St Peter's Church. Guaranteed by three keys held by the Duke, the City and the City of Brussels.
Under Wenceslas 1^er duc du Luxembourg, they were deposited in the châteaux of Genappe and then in the collegiate church of Nivelles.

Wenceslas 1st Duke of Luxembourg

Jeanne de Brabant

Pieces from the reign of Joanna of Brabant and Wenceslas 1^er of Luxembourg were deposited at the castles of Brussels and Tervueren. Then only in Tervueren.
At 15^e century opens a 3^e They were deposited with the Chamber of Accounts of Brabant. They will be kept in Brussels.
At 17^e In the 16th century, a large part of the Brabant charters were kept at Vilvoorde Castle until 1667. They were then deposited in Brussels, at the Chambre des Comptes,
After the defeat at Fleurus in 1794, the Austrians took the part of the Chambre des Comptes that had not been removed, first to Würzburg in Germany and then to Vienna in 1801.
They were partly returned to Belgium between 1856 and 1875.

Sources : Les archives centrales et le quartier de la cour, AR & AGR, exhibition organised to mark the bicentenary of the State Archives, 1996, pp 14 & 15