In the hierarchy of the Court Cards, the Knights come up right after the Pages. These Knights represent someone who has now matured from the child-like state of initial personality development (ie a Page), and is now a more action-oriented person. Whatever ideas and concepts took root in the Page stage are now acted upon in the Knight stage.

Let’s get to know the Knights of our Tarot Court on a much deeper level.

All The Knights Around Me

Overall, Knights represent a younger man (or someone with a masculine energy) that is more active (or action-oriented) and prone to doing something with the ideas he has. Here are some of the typical, basic interpretations of the Knights:

• Knights are aged between young adults to adults.
• Knights are action-oriented, and thus prefer doing something over thinking about concepts.
• Knights also come up in readings to depict movement – in a standard Tarot card deck, all the Knights are seated on horses, which signify a good deal of moving around.
• In the King’s Court, the Knights served the Queen, and were her Champions. In today’s world, Knights can be found wooing and romancing women in their lives.
• Knights are linked to the element of Fire. Fire signifies passion, enthusiasm and energy. Knights contain all these traits and these are expressed through their different actions.

Thus, overall the Knights signify action.

Now, lets look at each of these Knights in greater detail.

Knight of Wands

Personality

The Knight of Wands is Fire of Fire. He is passionate, enthusiastic and charming. He can really be a great person to hang around with. He likes to really have a good time – and loves the outdoors. He is spontaneous and has a lot of energy.

But he can also be very impulsive. He has a hard time finishing all that he starts. Although charming with the ladies, he can have a “love ‘em, leave ‘em” attitude. And he does get bored pretty quickly with most anything.

Dress

If you see the Salamanders on his dress, you will notice that some have completed the circle and some have not. Essentially, this shows that although certain parts of his personality have neared maturity, some still have not.

Notice also how he wears armor – as if he is ready for all sorts of action in his realm. Also notice the fire-like tassels that sprout from his helmet and dress. All of these just go towards enhancing the characteristic fire energy traits of the Knight of Wands.

Surrounding

As the suit of Wands represents the element of Fire, we find the Knight of Wands riding about in a landscape of a hot, sunny desert. This just goes to show that the environment around a Knight of Wands is often affected by his passion and zeal and energetic nature.

Upright Interpretation

So, when a Knight of Wands comes up upright in a reading, here is what we can interpret:

• Someone who has the personality traits mentioned above.
• Someone who is reacting with the above mentioned energy and zeal in a situation.
• Someone who is charming and happy-go-lucky.
• Someone who is well liked by the opposite sex due to his personality.
• Someone who is always ready to do / try something new and exciting.
• Enthusiastic movement in the direction signified by the horse (check what card appears on that side).
• However, there is no guarantee that this particular movement will be taken to its complete fruition.

Reversed Interpretation

When the Knight of Wands comes up reversed in a reading, here is what we can see:

• Someone who can be impatient, flamboyant, impulsive and reckless.
• Someone who shows these qualities in the surrounding situation.
• Someone who is not at all enthusiastic about the surrounding situation.
• A charmer who doesn’t believe in a committed relationship.
• Movement in the direction shown by the horse (check the card next to this one), but this movement might not be very enthusiastic.

Knight of Swords

Personality

The Knight of Swords is Fire of Air. He is a very logical and action-oriented young man. He likes to solve problems with the skill of his mind. He has a lot of ideas, which may go in all sorts of directions, but a majority of those ideas are very creative solutions to the different problems placed in front of him.

However, the Knight of Swords doesn’t like to stick around much – he likes to keep moving, and that too at a fast pace.

If you compare him to the other Knights in the deck, he is actually the one who moves the fastest.

Dress

Again, like every Knight in the deck, he wears armor – and is ready for a battle of wits. He is aggressive and rational – you can see that from his posture, and is always willing to throw himself right into the middle of whatever task he is entrusted with.

You can see a bunch of birds on his dress, and some butterflies on the horse. Birds and Butterflies, to me, represent the thoughts that float around in the mind (air). Birds can represent random, everyday thoughts, while Butterflies can represent evolving, creative thoughts. The Knight of Swords can be a very creative person when it comes right down to it.

Surrounding

Check out the way the clouds have jagged edges. It shows how the thoughts generated by the air energy can often cut. But while they can cut, they can also cut right to the point, and through the problems.

Plus, he seems as if he is riding hard, right into the middle of a battlefield.

Upright Interpretation

So when the Knight of Swords comes upright in a reading, we can say:

• Someone who is a problem solver, and a logical thinker. He can be a very focused person. He is also quite witty and sharp.
• Someone who is using the above mentioned personality traits in the given situation.
• He is very witty and an analytical thinker.
• With the ladies, he is a smooth-talker. Someone who will never stick around long enough.
• He likes to get in, solve the problem, and get out. He can often be found consulting and problem solving for others.
• Very fast and focused movement in the direction shown by the horse. (Check the card next to this one in the reading to determine what happens next.)

Reversed Interpretation

When the Knight of Swords comes up reversed in a reading, here is how we can see it:

• Someone who is being very destructive, dominating, forceful and hot tempered. He can also be an impatient, arrogant person. He is very ruthless and can conflict with others.
• Someone who is showing these personality traits in the surrounding situation.
• An intolerant person, whose words can hurt people.
• He just has no niceties when around women and can be very hurtful to them.
• Someone unable to resolve the problems that he is facing.
• Forceful and ruthless movement in the direction shown by the horse. (Check the card next to this one in the reading to find out what happens next.)

Knight of Cups

Personality

The Knight of Cups is Fire of Water. He is an interesting combination of passion and compassion. He can be sweet, charming, lovable and creative, while at the same time having a very deep passion for something / someone.

The Knight of Cups can be a very romantic person. However, if you study his movement (the horse) you will realize that he moves slowly and surely. He likes to take his time while doing something, and yet he feels deeply and intensely towards the object of his devotion.

Dress

Like every other Knight, the Knight of Cups wears armor – signifying that he is ready to take action. However, being a Cups Knight, he takes action when motivated by his feelings and emotions. The waves and the fish on his dress signify the way the movement of the emotions and the creative ideas in his mind. The wings on his shoes and on his helmet can be linked to the wings of Hermes, the healer. However, he can be quite slow to take any action — because he steps very carefully, and feels his way through all the situations that show up in front of him.

He can often be a poet, a healer, and is of course, a very committed partner in a relationship. 

Surrounding

The Knight of Cups wanders around near water. In the card, it looks as if he is near a river bed. Being a Cups Knight, he would be depicted in an area that has some water present.

Plus, his horse walks slowly, but steadily. Even the way it walks looks very decorative. This is a man who likes to take his time with everything he does – fiery passion doesn’t fire him up like the other Knights. In fact, his emotional intensity slows him down, and keeps him steady.

Upright Interpretation

When the Knight of Cups comes up upright in a reading, here is what we can interpret:

• A person who is sweet, charming, loyal, intense, and creative. However, he likes to take things slow.
• A person who is showing such traits in the given surrounding situation.
• A chivalrous person who avoids conflict and is non assertive.
• Someone who is very gallant, and very committed in a relationship.
• Slow and steady movement in the direction shown by the horse. (See the card next to this one in the reading, to find out what happens next, and where this movement leads to.)

Reversed Interpretation

When the Knight of Cups comes up reversed in a reading, here is what one could interpret:

• Someone who is emotionally insecure, moody, out of touch with reality. Someone who is not practical and can be easily influenced.
• Someone who is behaving in this fashion in the surrounding situation.
• Someone who avoids conflict to the point of being an escapist.
• Someone who can be duplicitous and can use his capabilities of seduction towards selfish aims.
• Movement in the direction shown by the horse. (See the card next to this one in your spread, and find out what happens next.)

Knight of Pentacles

Personality

The Knight of Pentacles is Fire of Earth. And the combination creates someone who is very practical and very ambitious. He is steady, skilled and capable of long-term thinking. He is very grounded and will always study the facts and the data before making any move.

He likes to take his time with anything. He can appear to be very reserved and quiet. However, in his work, he is very diligent and hardworking.

Dress

The Knight of Pentacles is dressed in armor – signifying his readiness for action. He has sprigs of herbs hanging from his helmet – which signifies his deep connection with the Earth.

Surrounding

In fact, greenery and a field that has just been plowed surround the Knight of Pentacles. He sits on his horse, which is standing still, and observes the Pentacle that he holds in his hand.

Perhaps, he has an idea, a concept, a seed that he wants to sow and plant in the fertile ground around him.

However, out of all the Knights in the deck, this one really doesn’t move at all. His horse just stands still. The movement over here is something that comes as a result of a great amount of analysis and deliberation, and is not the result of a whim.

Upright Interpretation

When the Knight of Pentacles appears upright in your spread, you can say:

• Someone who is a practical, reliable, focused and skilled. He is solid, dependable and diligent.
• Someone who is showing / using these qualities in the surrounding situation.
• Someone who likes to think (a LOT) before he actually takes action. He is very thorough with his research.
• Someone who is a very practical and materialistic person.
• Movement in the direction indicated by the horse is being contemplated. You can see the card next to this one in your spread to determine what happens next.

Reversed Interpretation

And when this card comes up reversed in your spread, you can say:

• Someone who is unemployed, stubborn, lazy, and not wanting to move.
• Someone who is showing these qualities in the surrounding situation.
• Someone who, due to circumstances has now been forced to move or take action, or else he will lose the opportunities in front of him.
• Someone who is suffering because he delayed in taking action and now doesn’t know what to do. Opportunities have been lost, wasted.
• Movement in the direction shown by the horse has been forced or pushed. You can see the card next to this one in your spread to determine the outcome.

Thus we can see how the energies of the Knights have manifested across the different suits.

Your Turn…

Have you met any such Knights in your life? What have been your experiences with these Knights? Are there any particular qualities or traits that stuck in your mind?

Do you see yourself as a Knight? Which one? What did you think about these interpretations?

Is there anything that I have missed out on?

Please do share your thoughts in the comments section below.