Dear, Readers. 

It is a great pleasure to be here with another installment of Crazy And Funny Facts You should Know. I am sure you have been having fun going over the previous columns.

As you are already aware, I moved to the island of Koh Samui in southern Thailand a few months ago. We are still in the middle of the rainy season and it pours almost every day. 

However, I have some happy news. I was recently appointed basketball coach of a college team here on the island. I am thrilled and this assignment has been keeping me away from the column.

But, I am glad I can bring you another fun fact today. I also hope you are all doing fantastic where you are. Now, without much further ado, I will go right into today’s topic.   

I am sure you are familiar with the famous deck of cards. 

But did you know about the four kings on the deck of cards;

A little history might help. Playing cards arrived in Europe in the late 14th century, and decks differed greatly depending on where they were produced.

The French card-makers in the late 16th century standardized the suits of spades, hearts, diamonds, and clubs and designated the four kings as David, Alexander, Charlemagne, and Augustus.

The four kings on a modern deck of playing each have a distinct appearance.

King of Spades: David, King of Israel from the Old Testament.

King of Clubs: Alexander the Great, King of Macedonia, conquered a vast region and lived from 356 to 323 BCE.

King of Hearts: Charlemagne, King of France and the first Holy Roman Emperor, who lived from 747 to 814 AD.

King of Diamonds: Roman Caesar Augustus.

 

This is a very interesting and fun fact and I hope I was able to surprise you. Card playing is one of the most popular pastimes in the world. I used to play cards with my friends and family for fun. 

Is card-playing also popular in your country? If it is, and you would like to share something about it, please, do not hesitate to leave a comment below. 

I enjoyed writing this column, and I am looking forward to bringing more next time. 

Wish me luck with my basketball team. See you soon.