For today’s post, I would like to discuss the Queen of Swords in the Tarot. The Queen of Swords is the final Tarot Queen I have left to write about! This one and the previous five Tarot cards I have written about are the ones that come up most for me. I find this unsurprising given that they are the most powerful female cards of the Tarot! The Queen of Swords is like all the female figures within the Tarot, in that she is a powerful feminine archetype.
The Queen of Swords works as the feminine counterpart to her King, which can be said of all Queens. In her case, she represents the intuitive and creative aspect of cognition! She has power in both the mental world and the realms of spirituality, this is appropriate given the suit of swords is associated with the element of air.
The appearance of this Queen in a reading can represent an independent woman. She may be single, or simply in control of her own life and will. This, like any card of the Tarot, can either represent the querent or a figure in their lives depending on how she appears in the reading. The Queen of Swords is intellectual and creative, she is also known for her incredible communication skills. She is often seen to reflect women who are writers, professors, lawyers, businesswomen, and scholars. She is also known to be a woman who can endure and survive pain and loss. Her strong-willed temperament makes her uniquely able to cope with difficult experiences!
In the Arthurian Tarot, she is called the Sword Queen. In this version, she is represented by the Black Maiden who challenges Percerval on his Grail Quest. In the earlier story of Peredur, she was one of the Nine Witches of Gloucester who trained Peredur in the fashion of Celtic warrior women. An important aspect of the Sword Queen is her fosterage of skills and her discipline. This Arthurian take on the card focuses on the intellectual side of this Queen figure!
I hope you have enjoyed my overview of the Queen of Swords in Tarot. Let me know your thoughts in the comments below!
Note on Image: The image at the top of the post is a lovely interpretation of the Queen of Swords. I found the image on https://www.vectorstock.com/royalty-free-vector/queen-of-swords-with-spades-crown-holding-a-sword-vector-23964659.
Further Reading
- The Only Tarot Book You’ll Ever Need by Skye Alexander
- The Arthurian Tarot by Caitlin and John Matthews
White Rose of Avalon 