The King of Swords is the logical tactician of the Tarot and is associated with the air signs Libra, Aquarius, and Gemini.
He frequently depicts a man in an advisory capacity with a wealth of knowledge at his disposal and a certain perspicacity which enables him to dispense the correct information at the appropriate moment. When this King appears, his primary ambit is to inform, to judge, and to not pay much heed to the fluttering heartstrings concealed by his composed exterior.
In the Rider Waite deck the King of Swords is portrayed with an expressionless and unemotive demeanour, reflecting that this is not an individual who is sentimental. The sword he holds in an upright static position reflects that he neither intends to attack or wound, but to balance, an indication that this is a character who inspects his choices carefully.
The King of Swords strongly identifies with his intellect and can use it to devastating effect, gaining the advantage over his enemies through a fatal combination of machiavellian maneuvering and the patience of a stoic. He is highly adept at the art of persuasion. He is a skillful communicator and his secret talent is understanding the subconscious motivations of those he engages with. This makes him a formidable orator, lawyer, and man of commerce.
In a more lighthearted vein, since this King’s chief quality is communication and knowledge, if he takes an interest in you, whether it be romantic or professional, he will be highly eager to know everything about you and he is disposed to having seemingly never-ending conversations. One admirable quality about this King is his capacity to be direct. Although he has the ability to use his mental talents to manipulate, he is also a clear communicator. If you have a doubt about where you stand with this man, he is unlikely to mislead you too much.
In a love reading, this is not necessarily the most desirable card to have appear as it represents a man who is a great deal more “a thinker” rather than a “feeler.” He may not articulate his more deeply felt emotions overtly and will potentially use humour to deflect any attempts to expose what he guards within his heart. This is a character who has an almost pathological aversion to what he considers saccharine sentimentality, and will unlikely to be someone who showers you with conventional love tokens. He will more than likely seek to stimulate your heart by engaging with your mind and this fellow can be quite playful and amusing.
If you are experiencing the more negative aspects of the King of Swords, you ought to be wary that you are dealing with a man who is not emotionally receptive to your affections. Although he may be enjoying your attentions, he may have a purpose for you, more than likely to gain an advantage in a project or to glean information from you. Moreover, this is a man who is keenly aware of his status and reputation. If he feels that the way you present yourself in the world is not up to his standards, irrespective of any feelings he may have for you, he will consider you a poor choice as a partner and will likely disengage from you. Lastly and most negatively, the King of Swords can represent a divorce lawyer and can foretell that you and your partner will be making a parting of ways.
In a work reading the King of Swords is largely a positive card. If you are needing a mentor or someone with a lot of knowledge to help you, this card is a wonderful omen that you will meet an advisor who knows exactly how to counsel you. If you are male and interested in pursuing a legal career, this card predicts that you will achieve your ambition. In a business reading the King of Swords can foretell meetings with an associate, or an advisor, but it can also highlight that you need to adopt the mindset of the King of Swords and value logic over emotion. It can also indicate that you ought to streamline your goals and not let distractions interfere with your pursuit of success. In this aspect the King of Swords can represent ruthless single-mindedness.
Positive Aspects: intelligent, wealth of knowledge, witty, even-tempered, mental equilibrium, talented advisor
Negative Aspects: lacking in emotion, unwilling to show emotion, manipulative, cruel, stoic, calculating
