Deck of Cards

[Tombstone]

Did you know?...Each king in a deck of playing cards represents a great king from history.

Spades - King David

Hearts - Charlemagne

Clubs - Alexander the Great

Diamonds - Julius Caesar

This may be a true claim on modern day cards and specific editions.

Bill points out some good information here:

Deck of Cards

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.

[jwolf7722]

i did not know that. kinda interesting

[capt_buzzard]

Same here. There is more in Heaven and on the Earth than we realize.


I heard of a song many years by that title A Deck of Cards, don't know the words.

[channidae]

Why is Charlemagne the suicide king?

[gmc]

Sorry couldn't resist it

emperor // n.
1 the sovereign of an empire.
2 a sovereign of higher rank than a king.
emperorship n.
[Middle English via Old French emperere, empereor from Latin imperator -oris, from imperare ‘command’]

Julius Caesar : ist Emperor of Rome
Charlemegne : head of the Holy Roman Empire i.e

emperorhttp://www.lucidcafe.com/library/96apr/charlemagne.html

Alexander also became emperor of more than one kingdom

I hate pedants don't you?

[Bill Sikes]

Erm, I don't want to get a reputation for being argumentative or pedantic, but:

http://www.snopes.com/history/world/cardking.htm


is an interesting read. There's a lot of stuff there that will have you in stitches.

[Tombstone]

Good information. I've edited the first post to reflect more data.