Charlemagne had a keen interest in learning, according to his biographer Einhard:Temptabat et scribere tabulasque et codicellos ad hoc in lecto sub cervicalibus circumferre solebat, ut, cum vacuum tempus esset, manum litteris effigiendis adsuesceret, sed parum successit labor praeposterus ac sero inchoatus.
Uporabljali so jo za časa Karla Velikega približno med letoma 800 in 1200.