Duke Philip of Burgundy issued a charter for Delft city fathers to appoint the first city council.
Date:
September 7, 1445
Philip the Good, Duke of Burgundy, issued a charter (Privilegie) for Delft city fathers, the vroedschap, to appoint the first Veertigraad, a 40-member council of the richest, most honorable, most notable men from regent families to help the schout and schepenen govern the city. The Veertigraad gradually ceded city management to the burgemeesters and pensionaris.
The charter does not seem to be among those in the collection of the city archive. It is described in detail in Chapter III of Boitet's Beschrijving preceding the list of all the members of the Veertigraad beginning in 1476. Boitet notes that the lists of members before that were lost in the Fire of 1536.
Document:
Ch III, p. 79
