Until about 800 A.D. changes in our alphabet occurred gradually.
The alphabet evolved, with no clear-cut stages in the
development of letterforms. This, however, changed dramatically
after Charlemagne ascended the throne of the Holy Roman Empire
in 771. One of the accomplishments of his reign is the
Carolingian minuscule – the forerunner of our modern small
letters. Called the “Father of Europe,” Charlemagne united most
of Western Europe for the first time since the Roman Empire. His
rule spurred the Carolingian Renaissance, a revival of art,
religion, and culture under the auspices of the Catholic Church.
During a visit to Parma, Charlemagne met Alcuin, a well-known
scholar from England. Charlemagne was so impressed by the man’s
wealth of knowledge that he invited Alcuin to undertake the
organization of the educational system in the realm. Alcuin
accepted the challenge, and began by standardizing a
calligraphic style for the copying of manuscripts, texts, and
educational material. This writing style came to