The imperial monogram of Charles IV












            ******************************************************************************************

            *
            ******************************************************************************************
            By Mlada Holá

            Since the early Middle Ages, the documents of Roman Emperors displayed a monogram – a dist
            sign, made of several parallel and intersecting lines connecting the letters from the name
            sovereign, and, later, the basic letters of his title (usually the first letters from the 

            „Romanorum imperator semper augustus“). In the early Middle Ages, the sovereigns probably 
            lines manually as this sign was used instead of the emperor’s signature. The monogram was 
            of the line separated from the text of the document; in the high Middle Ages, it became th

            document, referred to by the bold or emphasized writing. In both cases, a rectangular spac
            for the monogram in advance.



            After the imperial coronation on April 5, 1355, Charles IV started using this sign as his 

            had done before him. The design of the monogram was the same until his death in 1378 – it 
            letters of his name and title: “KAROLUS QuarTusDIuiNa FauEnte CleMencia romanorum imPerato
            et Boemie reX”. The average dimensions of the rectangle reserved for the monogram were 5 x

            A letter X was placed in the middle of the monogram, as a symbol of Christ’s name. In the 
            square, on the intersecting lines, there were letters S O Q D, while the upper line displa
            AB – K – TRAINING. Then there were letters CP a NL on the side lines, and ER - M – UF on t

            In the documents, the monogram was referred to by the text “Signum serenissimi principis e
            Karoli quarti, Romanorum imperatoris inclitissimi et gloriosissimi Boemie Regis”. The call
            sentence (just like the beginning of the document) was more decorative than the rest of th