Knight (playing card)

A knight or cavalier is a playing card with a picture of a man riding a horse on it.

In French-suited tarot packs it is usually called the 'cavalier' in English, the chevalier in French or the Cavall or Reiter in German.

The latter two were transformed into the knight and the knave when playing cards entered southern Europe.

[2] While mounted ladies and maids faded away or survive in minor regional patterns like the Tarocco Siciliano, knights were dropped in favour of queens in non-tarot French decks.

In the Spanish suited Aluette pattern found in Brittany and the Vendée, knights have an androgynous appearance.