There is archaeological evidence of a Roman town on the site. The name of the town is a shortened form of Charles, believed to have been so named because Charles Martel had one of his palaces here. In 858 Charles the Bald, granted rights to establish the female abbey of Notre-Dame de Soissons, which included extensive seigniory lands in Charly, which dedicated lands lasted until the French revolution. Before 1789, Charly did not have a local government. It was managed by the provost, then baillif, of the abbess of Notre-Dame de Soissons. After the revolution, in 1792, the former vicar of Charly became mayor.