Who are the 4 kings in cards?

What is the derivation of the pictures of kings, queens and jacks variously portrayed on a pack of playing cards? Are they based on historical figures?

Nick Wallis, Darlington, UK

• The origins of European playing cards are highly speculative, with Chinese, Indian, and Persian parentage all claimed of them. The composition and design of playing card decks varied with time and locale (particularly the number of cards in a deck), but the inclusion of both numbered cards and court cards (or "royals") -- and the division of cards into different suits -- were standard features from early on. Italian decks contained fifty-six cards, included four types of court cards (king, queen, knight, and knave) and were divided into four suits (cups, swords, coins, and batons). As the popularity of card games spread throughout Europe and the demand for decks of playing cards increased tremendously, they ceased to be expensive, hand-painted luxuries and became cheaper, mass-produced commodities manufactured by master card makers via the use of stencils. Around the same time, knaves were dropped from the subset of court cards to bring the composition of a standard deck down to fifty-two cards.

  The French suit symbols were more easily stencilled than their earlier counterparts, and the French card masters soon realized they did not need to engrave each of the twelve court cards separately, as their German competitors did. The French simply created one wood block or copper plate for each of the three royals, printed the cards from them, and stencilled the suits in later. The French were thus able to outproduce German card makers, and so the French design eventually became the standard for most of Europe. It was at about this time that the French card masters also started the practice of assigning identities to the royals pictured on their court cards . All of the court cards (not just the kings) were named, and the identities assigned to them (and printed on the cards) were by no means consistent. The choice of names differed from master to master, often with no apparent reason behind them other than personal preference or whim.

  Early choices for the identities of the kings included Solomon, Augustus, Clovis, and Constantine, but during the latter part of the reign of Henry IV (1553-1610) they were more or less standardized as representing Charlemagne (hearts), David (spades), Caesar (diamonds), and Alexander (clubs). The names of the queens -- Judith or Judic (hearts), Pallas (spades), Rachel (diamonds), and Argine (clubs) -- have been a continual object of speculation, as the real-life personages they represent are not so easily identified. Some suggestions for their origins have included the Empress Judith (wife of Charlemagne's son) or Isobel of Bavaria (wife of Charles VI and mother of Charles VII) for Judith, Joan of Arc or the eponymous Greek goddess of war (also known as Athena) for Pallas, Agnes Sorel (mistress of Charles VII) or Jacob's wife for Rachel, and Mary of Aragon (wife of Charles VII) or Juno (Greek queen of the gods) for Argine (which is itself an anagram of 'regina'). Curiously, the identities of the knaves seem to have remained constant: La Hire (Etienne de Vignoles, Knight and Hero of France) as the knave of hearts, Ogier (one of Charlemagne's knights in the Chansons de Geste and the knight who is carried off by the witch Morgan la Fay in Arthurian legend) as the knave of spades, Hector (the hero of Troy) as the knave of diamonds, and Lancelot (another knight from Arthurian legend) as the knave of clubs.

  In summary, the court cards in decks of playing cards were not initially identified by name. The assignation of identities to the kings (as well as the queens and knaves) was a temporary practice unique to French card masters that began around the mid-15th century, was not standardized for some time, and was discontinued at the end of the 18th century. The royal figures on modern playing cards no more represent specific persons than do the kings and queens in chess sets.

  The kings, queens and jacks of the standard English (International) pattern are not thought to represent anyone. They have never carried names, nor is it probable that they originally portrayed anyone.

  However, French (Paris pattern) court cards do have names.

  HeartsSpadesDiamondsClubsKCHARLESDAVIDCAESARALEXANDERQJUDITHPALLASRACHELARGINEJLA HIREOGIERHECTORJUDAH MACCABEE
  (or JUDAS MACCABEUS)

  The use of names printed on French cards meant for use in France goes back a very long way—probably before the emergence of the English or French patterns. The courts on the French pack must not be taken as portraits of the persons named; there can have been no known portraits of some of them, e.g. Hector of Troy. In fact the link between the name and the figure is in the (imaginative) heraldry displayed by some of them.

  Playing-cards used in England, and from there exported to the rest of the world, are based on a pattern originating in Rouen, France. Emblems, gestures and clothes on the Paris pattern can be compared with the relevant Rouennais pattern in order to discover the identities of its unnamed courtiers.

  HeartsSpadesDiamondsClubsKALEXANDERDAVIDCAESARCHARLESQRACHELPALLASARGINEJUDITHJLA HIREHECTOROGIERJUDAH MACCABEE

  It is possible that these figures became corrupted over time as they were copied by illiterate copiers, and that the following legendary heroes and heroines from ancient sources were those figures which inspired the original card makers.

  • Jewish: David, Judith and Judah Maccabee
  • Greek: Alexander, Argeia and Hector
  • Roman: Caesar, Pallas and Aulus Hirtius
  • Christian: Charlemagne, Ragnel and Ogier

  See Paris and Rouen pattern figures for further explanation.

  More misconceptions

  Is Queen Elizabeth I shown on the courts? No. Queen Elizabeth I was born in 1533; this was after the courts were designed.A contemporary portrait of Lord Burleigh playing cards shows the typical Jack of Hearts of the English pattern, confirming that the pattern was already in evidence during her reign. She reigned over England and Ireland 1558-1603.

  What is the significance of the objects the court figures carry? The objects carried have no particular significance. They indicate the rank of the court card and differentiate one court card from another. One exception is Charlemagne (on the king of clubs) who carries a globe identifying him as emperor of the Christian world. They have become distorted over time.

  Why do some of the Jacks have only one eye? Two jacks (and the king of diamonds) only show one eye for the obvious reason that the heads are meant to be in profile.

  why is the King of Hearts alone in not having a moustache? The King of Hearts did originally have a moustache. It was lost by poor copying of the original design.

  Who are the 4 jacks in a deck of cards?

  Example cards.

  Jack of spades: Ogier..

  Jack of hearts: La Hire..

  Jack of diamonds: Hector..

  Jack of clubs: Lancelot..

  What do the 4 suits of cards represent?

  The four suits in a deck of cards have a unique card symbolism. The Spades suit symbolizes the Military, the Hearts suit symbolizes the Church, the Diamonds suit symbolizes the Merchant Class, and the Clubs suit Symbolizes Agriculture. These were the four primary pillars of the Medieval Period economy.

  Who do the 4 queens in a deck of cards represent?

  The names of the queens -- Judith or Judic (hearts), Pallas (spades), Rachel (diamonds), and Argine (clubs) -- have been a continual object of speculation, as the real-life personages they represent are not so easily identified.