The tarot court cards can be confusing, especially to a new reader. Unlike most other Minor Arcana cards, the court cards don't depict a situation. Rather, each is a portrait of an archetype, more like the Major Arcana cards.
In the Major Arcana, though, each archetype has a unique, specific meaning. The court cards, on the other hand, are each part of their suit and a member of their rank. Thus, the four knights of the tarot share common interpretations, but each has his own distinct flavor.
Interpreting the Tarot Knights
On the general plane, the tarot knights represent movement in a situation. As knights are the fighting arm of any royal court, so the knights of the tarot deck are symbols of action. When a knight appears in a tarot spread, there is something happening. The suit of the knight defines the sphere in which the movement is happening and intensity of the actions.
In the Crowley tarot and its derivatives, the knight card is actually the king, and the prince holds the same rank as the knight in a traditional Tarot deck.
The Knight of Wands
Fire is represented by the suit of wands, sometimes called rods, and like fire, the Knight of Wands is all-consuming and passionate. When he appears in a tarot spread, he signals a sudden rush of action with situations rapidly coming to a head. In a reading about romance, for instance, his appearance suggests a committed and ardent suitor who burns up the telephone lines in his determined pursuit. In business matters, he may represent a "perfect storm" of circumstances that lead to a new level of function if they can be controlled and contained.
If the Knight of Wands represents a person, he is generally a young man with a fair or ruddy complexion and red or blond hair. He is passionate and ardent in his defense, and goes after what he wants without hesitation, which may sometimes lead to disruption in the lives of those around him.
The Knight of Cups
The element of the tarot cups is water, and like water, the Knight of Cups "runs deep." The Knight of Cups often signifies movement in emotions, or a change of moods regarding a situation. He may suggest that someone has changed their feelings about the querent, or about an important matter, or that someone has come to recognize his or her true feelings. That change of mood can bring about very big changes of circumstances or actions.
When the Knight of Cups represents a person, he is usually a fair young man with blond or light brown hair and blue eyes. He is usually glib and romantic, easily swaying people with his words. Like water, he is changeable as quicksilver, and is a natural flirt who charms people with his attention.
The Knight of Swords
Swords represent the element of air, an elemental concept that can be difficult to grasp. Like wind, the physical manifestation of air, the Knight of Swords signifies changes that upset things willy-nilly, leaving the querent to piece things together in its wake. In contrast to the Knight of Cups which signifies a changing mood, the Knight of Swords represents a changing mind, where an idea takes hold and sweeps all other ideas out of fashion, sometimes throwing the baby out with the bathwater.
As a person, the Knight of Swords is often a brown-haired, brown-eyed young man. The Knight of Swords is generally highly intellectual and analytical. Quick-thinking and mercurial, he often tosses out ideas, but doesn't follow them through to recognize the havoc they may wreak.
Knight of Pentacles
Like the earth which is the element of pentacles, the Knight of Pentacles is solid, steady and practical. When he appears in a tarot reading, he often signifies slow, steady progress toward a goal — often so slow that it may seem as if nothing is progressing at all until the goal is achieved.
When the knight represents an actual person, the Knight of Pentacles is generally swarthy or dark-skinned, with dark hair and eyes. He is a pragmatist who carefully considers all options before making a move or a decision, which leads some to believe that he is dull or slow. In fact, like the earth, he is loyal, enduring and very likely to be more stable than any of the other suits.
Interpreting the Tarot Knights in a Reading
Blending the meaning of a card's suit and rank in the deck is good practice for base interpretations, and makes it easier to interpret the knights when they appear in a reading. Knights generally signify movement or action. The suit of the card and its position in the reading are further clues that help fit that particular knight into the flow of the tarot spread.
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