The Faces on the Cards

Chances are you know the face cards in deck of playing cards: king, queen, and jack. However, there are probably some things you may not know about them. Playing cards in general were invented in China over a thousand years ago. Since then, various designs and types have been used throughout the world. The standard 52 card deck (with 2 jokers making it 54) is typically of a French design. There are common designs that come from Germany, Swiss, China, Mongolia, etc., often available with different amounts of cards in the deck (Italian usually having 40, Russian usually having 36, etc.). Some decks have a 1 card and an ace card, just like the 56 card tarot deck. In the different countries, the face cards have different people on them.

But the real question is, who are the people on the cards? In the Anglo-American decks of cards, these faces are based on people.

King of Spades - King David, of Biblical origin
King of Hearts - Either Charlemagne or Charles VII (depending on who you ask)
King of Diamonds - Julius Caesar
King of Clubs - Alexander the Great

Queen of Spades - Pallas (daughter of the ancient Greek sea-god Triton)
Queen of Hearts - Judith (from the Septuagent and Catholic Old Testament book of Judith)
Queen of Diamonds - Rachel (either Biblical, or mistress of Charles VII from above, or in relation to Lancelot below)
Queen of Clubs - Argine (either an anagram of regina, which is Latin for queen, or from Argea from ancient Greek mythology)

Jack of Spades - Ogier the Dane (also called Holger Danske), a knight of Charlemagne
Jack of Hearts - Étienne de Vignolles (called La Hire) fought alongside of Joan of Arc and was a member of Charles VII's court
Jack of Diamonds - Hector, the greatest fighter of the Trojan War in ancient Greek mythology
Jack of Clubs - Judas Maccabeus (one of the grestest fighters in Jewish history), or Lancelot

Most of the names above come from history and some from mythology, but they are all based on someone. There is still some debate as to the exact reference for some of them.

One other note: the jack was for a long time called a knave (knave of hearts, knave of clubs, etc.) The word knave has two definitions: someone who is either untrustworthy or dishonest, or a male servant.

Bet you didn't know that!