The Knight of Swords portrays a young man on a stallion who is in the throes of battle. His white horse appears as brave and fierce as he is. His suit of armour is extremely ornate and looks to be made for battle as opposed to decoration. His sword is raised high in the sky in preparation for his enemies who will soon fell his wrath. It is as if the Knight of Swords is charging the enemy with speed and fury. This is very symbolic a young man who is going to war for the first time. He is extremely enthusiastic, but unaware of the dangers that await him or how it will feel to have blood on his hands. He just knows to defend what he believes in and who he aligns with. He is clearly very loyal and willing t to lay down his life for a cause.
The court cards of each Minor Arcana Suit represent people, and the physical and astrological characteristics of a person as well. In the case of knights, there are astrologically significant details that should be made known. The Knight of Swords is associated with the signs of Capricorn and Aquarius. The nature of the energy that is carried by the Knight of Swords is considered fixed for Aquarius and cardinal for Capricorn. This shows that these individuals are very stable and have the quality of endurance in their energies when the individual being identified is an Aquarius, and there is creative and ambitious energy within the Capricorn described by the Knight of Swords. The elemental property of this particular knight, which is air energy, mixes with the energy of the suit he appears in: air energy. The Knight of Swords is readily able to utilize this air energy, which embodies invention and the need for innovation. This indicates that the Knight of Swords in a spread is speaking to invention or forward progress of some sort. The physical characteristics often found to accompany a Knight of Swords individual include brown or hazel eyes and dark brown or black hair. It is advised that the querent pay attention to the young man depicted in the Knight of Swords that has these physical characteristics.
Although there is very little to go on in terms of an outright card meaning, the surrounding cards will be of immense influence and importance to the Knight of Swords and the interpretation of it.
The Knight of Swords in an Upright Position
The upright positioning of the Knight of Sword shows aggression and bravado. There is immense courage in the Knight of Swords and he is readily able to defend his beliefs. There may be unexpected news that he brings and usually this has to do with legal matters. The cards that surround the Knight of Swords determine his nature: swords will show him to be a reckless young man that changes his mind easily and acts on impulse most of the time, whereas cups and pentacles will show him to more of a chivalrous young man that stands up for his rights and those of others.
Whenever a court card appears in a spread, it does not necessarily always signify a real human being, but a quality within the card that the querent needs to take up as part of his own persona or philosophies in order to experience growth and a better outlook on life.
The Knight of Swords is also a huge believer in the institution of Justice. He cannot stand by and watch as people are wronged or taken advantage of. His may be a reminder for the querent to stand up for his beliefs and the beliefs of others and to defend what is right in the world. It is also a warning to avoid being headstrong and reckless with one’s youthful strength. There is a fine line in between doing what is right and being abusive with one’s power. His strike is swift and he can cut with his words as well as his deeds, so pay careful attention to what liberties you take with the expression of your ideas around the Knight of Swords.
The Knight of Swords in a Reversed Position
A reversal of a court card has an inverse meaning that corresponds with the court card it is attached to. A reversed Knight of Swords represents cowardice, exaggeration, and wearing a facade of intelligence when one is really uneducated and couldn’t back up his words with deeds if his life depended on it. He may be combative and dig his heels in at every turn while bragging about his achievements with every chance he gets. The reversed Knight of Swords may also be unable to adequately express himself and have a speech impediment or learning disability that makes it difficult for him to put his emotions into words and his words into actions. He may have outbursts and use name-calling to help him get his way. The reversal of the Knight of Swords is also considered to be self-destructive due to his impulsiveness.
The querent is cautioned to be careful with his words and be sure to communicate clearly and concisely in all matters. This includes court cases, which are indicated with the Knight of Swords as it is. The querent will find that he is very passionate about cause when he encounters the Knight of Swords in a spread, but the reversal shows aggressiveness and perhaps show a man how he can be better with speaking to women. The querent is also advised to develop inner strength and courage for any and all tasks he must check off his list during his day. There’s no need to go in head over heels, but it is imperative that the querent develop this confidence well before there is a need for it.
Key Terms
- Recklessness
- Impulsive
- Legal matters
- Unexpected news
- Bravery
- Defender of beliefs
- Passionate
- Stubborn
- Inventions