4 Fun Facts About Playing Cards

Are you a card game enthusiast? If yes, here are some interesting facts that you might want to know about playing cards. It is believed that playing cards were invented during the Tang dynasty, around the 9^th century. Now that’s too old! Many games have evolved after the invention of playing cards. In India, we have the ever-entertaining classic Indian Rummy, which we all love to play. Given below are some unknown facts about playing cards. If you are in a hurry, watch the video:

#1 Did you know each King represents a great king from history?

It is believed that the four Kings of the four different suits represent four historical Kings. The four kings in the cards are believed to be these historical or mythical rulers of the past. King of Spades:  King David, the king of Israel from the Old Testament King of Clubs: Alexander the Great, the king of Macedonia King of Hearts: Charlemagne, the king of France and the first Holy Roman Emperor King of Diamonds: Julius Caesar, the dictator of the Roman Republic

#2 Four suits represent 4 pillars of economy

It is fascinating to learn these facts, which we never knew. Here is another interesting fact about cards. The four suits in a card deck represent the four pillars of the economy in the middle ages. The Spades represents the military, the Hearts represents the church, the Clubs represents agriculture, and the Diamonds represents trade.

#3 Card decks saved the lives of American soldiers during WWII!

During the World War II, many American Soldiers were held in German POW camps. The American and British intelligence agencies collaborated with ‘United States Playing Card Company’ to create a secret deck of cards known as the ‘Map Deck’. The cards contained a hidden map which revealed the escape routes when soaked in water. This actually helped the soldiers to find their way to freedom.

#4 The King of Hearts is known as the ‘Suicide King!’

If you look closely at the King of Hearts, he appears to be sticking a sword through his head. Actually, he is holding the sword behind his head. This is why he is commonly called the ‘Suicide King.’ This is a result of a poor representation of the original image, which had a battle ax in place of the sword. However, almost all of the cards now have the King of Hearts holding a sword behind his back. These are the four interesting facts about playing cards. Did you know any of them? Do you have something else to add to this list? If yes, do leave us a comment below and we will include that in the article :) Keep playing!