If you are thinking of getting a tattoo of some playing cards, you have a lot of options. It might be difficult to decide on which card or cards you want to have tattooed on your body because there are so many different meanings for the cards.
The three of clubs will represent something completely different than the ace of spades. Whether it is pop culture or ancient symbolism, these cards are representative of certain ideas that you might hold so you will want to do some research before getting your tattoo.
In this case, we are talking about the king of hearts. Looking at this card, you might think you have a pretty good idea of what this symbolizes. Hearts are always a symbol of love but there are also meanings that aren’t so easy to see in addition to that, people get tattoos for different reasons, so you might have to ask the person with the tattoo what it means to them.
In this post, we will talk about the reasons someone gets the king of hearts tattoo and what it might mean to them versus what it has symbolized over time. We will also review some of the ways people have gotten the king of hearts tattoo and some of the different variations of this tattoo. By the end of this post we hope you have a better idea of the king of hearts symbolism than you had when you first opened this page.
About the King of Hearts
The king of hearts is a powerful symbol. Not only is it naturally a strong card when playing poker or other card games, but it also has symbolism that is deeper than that. Someone getting the king of hearts tattoo might have something in mind and there is a history of meaning behind this card.
Some people call the king of hearts the suicide king. The four kings in a deck of cards are symbolic of rulers that have existed throughout time. The king of clubs is said to represent Alexander the Great, king of spades represents David of Israel, the king of diamonds is likened to Julius Caesar while the king of hearts generally represented Charles VII of France who was said to not be completely stable. Charles is said to be the only one of these rulers above who was able to see the cards come to fruition and see his representation.
The idea of having the king of hearts represent Charles happened at the beginning of his rule but he wasn’t able to see the results until later in his life after he had gotten very sick with a fever. Charles began to learn to play cards while he was bedridden and played a version of blackjack.
Because the fever that Charles experienced had him bedridden for the rest of his life, he had plenty of time to play with these cards. As time passed, Charles got weaker and was convinced that one of the reasons this was happening was because he was likened to a card that was the thirteenth card in a suit and thirteen was bad luck. He claimed he was close to figuring out the secrets of the number and that he was seeing it everywhere he looked. The things he talked about were blamed on the fever and he was said to be insane when Louis XII (his son) sat on the throne in the place of Charles.
Many months after the end of Charles’ rule, a doctor went in to check on him only to find the ex-king standing in the middle of the floor with a large sword. What he said next could be translated to something to the effect of him figuring out the secret of the number thirteen and that it wasn’t meant for any mortal to see or understand. At that point, Charles picked up the sword ran it through the left side of his head and pushed it all the way through his head.
Charles was deemed as the mad king and the image of the king running a sword through his head was adjusted to show on all king of hearts cards going forward. Even though it isn’t as graphic as it used to be, if you look at the king of hearts, you will see this image.
King of Hearts Tattoo Meaning
Some people say the king of hearts tattoo is representative of the mad king Charles and might be a symbol of insanity. However, most people who get this tattoo choose to look at it a different way. Because hearts are associated with love, the king of hearts is usually used to express the same sentiment. There are many ways to show this image to represent what you want in a tattoo and below are a few examples of king of hearts tattoos and what they mean for those that have it.
King of Hearts Card Tattoo
Some people simply get the king of hearts tattoo to express their affinity for love or potentially a love for playing cards. Many consider themselves to be lovers and not fighters. They say they are the king of their own domain and to have the king of hearts tattooed symbolizes the love used in ruling this domain.
King of Hearts and Queen Tattoo
Many couples will get the king and queen of hearts tattoo to represent their devotion to each other. In many cases, you will see the man with the king of hearts tattoo while the woman has the queen of hearts. It is a great way to show your devotion to your lover. Nothing says commitment more than matching tattoos.
King of Hearts and Rose
We have also seen the king of hearts with a rose in the tattoo. The rose is also a symbol of love and along with the color red, the king of hearts tattoo can be empowered by the image of the rose added to the tattoo.
Whatever way you decide to get your king of hearts tattoo will be up to you. The meaning is unique to you and you should get it for any reason you deem right. Just make sure to find someone you feel comfortable with to tattoo this image on your body and if you can’t find the one you are looking for, reach out to us at Tattoo SEO.