King of Swords: tarot card meaning

King of Swords is a court card in the suit of Swords, associated with the element of Air. Drawn upright it speaks of command, mature authority, leadership; reversed, of rigid authority, abused power.

Upright meaning

command, mature authority, leadership

Decisive and intellectual authority -- a master of clear thinking and fair judgement, cool under pressure.

Reversed meaning

rigid authority, abused power

A rigidity or a misuse of intellect -- the judgement is sound but is being withheld or bent.

The suit of Swords belongs to Air and to thought, conflict and clarity.

In a three-card reading

In the past position King of Swords describes the current that carried you to where you are; in the present position, what is most alive in the situation now; in the future position, the direction things tend toward if nothing changes. A reading weighs it against the other two cards rather than on its own.