King of Swords
King of Swords, minor arcana. intellect, authority, truth, fairness.
A king sits on a throne with a sword raised in one hand, butterflies carved on the throne and clouds behind him. He rules by reason and the letter of the law.
Upright
- intellect
- authority
- truth
- fairness
A king sits on a throne with a sword raised in one hand, butterflies carved on the throne and clouds behind him. He rules by reason and the letter of the law.
Reversed
- cruelty
- manipulation
- abuse of power
- inflexibility
Using intelligence to dominate, or rules applied without compassion. Reversed, the card warns about the cold use of authority.
Not every reader uses reversals. Many treat a reversed card as the same theme, blocked, delayed or turned inward.
Astrology and numerology
Court cards are read as people or as styles of behaviour rather than as events. King of Swords is traditionally linked with the air signs: Gemini, Libra and Aquarius. These links are looser than those for the numbered cards, and writers differ over which court goes with which sign.
Yes or no
In yes or no tarot, King of Swords counts as a yes when upright, and as a no when reversed. This follows a common convention and not a rule from the deck's makers.
Tarot is a tradition of symbolism. This page says what readers traditionally associate with the card. It does not predict anything and it is not advice.