748–814 · Rulers

Charlemagne signature

King of the Franks and Lombards, crowned emperor in 800 (c. 748–814)

Inspired by Charlemagne’s mark

A rendering in a modern handwriting font, made for this page. It is not the real signature; see where to view the original below. Where to see the original ↓Style: Italianno, slant 0°

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Italianno

Who Charlemagne was

Charlemagne, Charles the Great (c. 748–814), was king of the Franks from 768 and conquered much of western and central Europe. On Christmas Day 800 Pope Leo III crowned him emperor in Rome. His court at Aachen promoted learning, the copying of books and a reform of handwriting.

The story of the signature

Charlemagne did not sign documents with a written name. His charters carry a monogram: the letters of KAROLVS arranged as a cross, with K, R, L and S at the ends of the arms and the vowels A, O and V combined in a lozenge at the center. Beside it the scribe wrote a formula such as “Signum Karoli gloriosissimi regis”, the sign of Charles, most glorious king.

The scribe drew the monogram. Charlemagne’s own part is thought to have been a single completing stroke, usually in the central lozenge, which turned the drawing into his personal act of confirmation.

His biographer Einhard wrote that Charlemagne tried to learn to write, keeping tablets and sheets under his pillow so he could practice forming letters in spare moments, but that he began too late in life to make much progress.

The clear lowercase script developed in his time, Carolingian minuscule, later served as the model for Renaissance humanist scripts and, through them, for the lowercase letters of modern print.

What makes it distinctive

A monogram, not a signature

The name KAROLVS is built into a symmetrical figure instead of being written out.

A cross layout

Consonants at the four ends, vowels combined at the center.

The completing stroke

A single line, probably by the ruler’s own hand, made the mark his.

The formula beside it

“Signum Karoli...” explains, in the scribe’s writing, whose sign it is.

How to give your signature a similar feel

A monogram is a signature you design rather than write. On the Draw tab of the signature generator, try arranging your initials around a central shape, then finish with a stroke made the same way each time.
If you prefer type, look at how capitals behave in script fonts such as Italianno or Great Vibes in the signature fonts gallery.
Use a monogram as a mark alongside your full signature, not in place of it, for anything legally binding.

Where to see the original

These links lead to archives, libraries, museums and Wikimedia Commons.

Questions about Charlemagne’s signature

Could Charlemagne write?

Not well. Einhard says he tried to learn late in life but had little success. On charters, scribes drew his monogram and he is thought to have added only one stroke.

What does Charlemagne’s monogram say?

KAROLVS, the Latin form of Charles. The consonants sit at the ends of a cross and the vowels are combined in the central lozenge.

Why is the year of Charlemagne’s birth uncertain?

No record of his birth survives, and the sources point to different years; 747 and 748 are the dates most often given.