The Kings: Modern RWS Tarot Card Meanings
The four Kings of the Rider Waite Smith tarot (1909).
Kings: RWS Court Ranks explained
Kings are the masters of the tarot Court. They represent the external, mature, and authoritative expression of their respective Element. The Kings have fully mastered their Suit's energy and now command it with little effort. A particular King influences the world according to the temperament of his Element, through the power and control granted by his chief Rank within the Court.
Historically, Kings are the mature rulers who govern with finality. Psychologically, they represent a person with self-mastery over their respective element. In Hermetic-occult theory, those who gain self-mastery are said to be more easily able to influence others: “as within, so without”.
How to Read the RWS Kings in a Tarot Reading
As People (Querent or Others)
When a King appears in a reading representing a person, it often points to a mature, established individual (of any gender) who has total command of their suit's qualities. This person's power is external and recognized by others. This is the charismatic and visionary leader (King of Wands), the emotionally balanced and compassionate counselor (King of Cups), the authoritative and intellectual expert (King of Swords), or the wealthy and stable provider (King of Pentacles). Unlike the internally-focused Queen, the King's power is outwardly directed; they are the "final say," the CEO, the patriarch, or the established master of their domain.
As Situations or Events
As a situation, the Kings represent the "final word," ultimate control, or a state of complete mastery and stability. Their arrival signals that a situation is fully established or that a final, authoritative decision has been made. The King of Wands represents the successful completion and leadership of a major project. The King of Cups signifies a situation of complete emotional control and compassionate leadership. The King of Swords represents a final, binding judgment, a clear-cut decision, or the word of an undisputed expert. The King of Pentacles points to a state of peak financial security, legacy, and established worldly success.
As Traits To Embody
When a King appears in the advice position, it is a call to take command. The card advises you to step into your full authority and act with the confidence of an expert. The King of Wands asks you to lead with vision, to inspire others, and to take decisive action on your goals. The King of Cups encourages you to be the "bigger person," to respond with emotional maturity, and to offer compassionate, balanced advice. The King of Swords advises you to make the final call, to be objective and logical, and to speak with authority. The King of Pentacles' advice is to be generous with your success, to take a long-term view, and to build a stable legacy.
The RWS King Rank: Meanings By Suit
Click on a King card to learn about its Rider Waite Smith meanings (upright and reversed) in depth.
Additional Notes: RWS King Rank
Waite's Divinatory King Rank Meanings
A.E. Waite, in his 1911 text The Pictorial Key to the Tarot, describes the Kings as mature, authoritative male figures who have reached the pinnacle of their suit's power. For the King of Wands, he states: "A dark man... friendly, country-minded... honest and conscientious." For the King of Cups: "A fair man... a man of business, law, or divinity... responsible... disposed to oblige the Querent." For the King of Swords: "Whatsoever arises out of the card itself... is encircled by judgement... a judge, a power... a militant man." And for the King of Pentacles: "A dark man... a merchant, master... a banker... success in enterprise." Collectively, Waite's interpretations cast the Kings as the ultimate worldly authorities: the judge, the banker, the leader.
Astrological Correspondences: Golden Dawn vs Popular-Modern
The astrological associations for the court cards are complex, with two primary systems in use. In the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, from which the RWS deck derives, the Kings (or Knights, as they were called in their system, which can be confusing) were elementally associated with Fire. They represented the "fiery part" of their suit's element. Thus, the King of Wands was "Fire of Fire," the King of Cups was "Fire of Water," the King of Swords was "Fire of Air," and the King of Pentacles was "Fire of Earth." This system positions the Kings as the active, dynamic, and commanding force of their element's energy. A more popular modern system, however, often links the Kings to the four mutable signs of the zodiac, which reflects their adaptive, worldly, and communicative mastery. In this common modern interpretation, the King of Wands is linked to Sagittarius, the King of Cups to Pisces, the King of Swords to Gemini, and the King of Pentacles to Virgo. The individual Kings, like the rest of the Tarot Court cards, also have their own astrological correspondences, discussed in their respective articles.
