The Emperor in brief
In the Rider-Waite tradition, The Emperor stands for authority, structure, stability and protection. Modern readers often take it as a call to bring order and discipline to a situation, while the reversed card points to control that has turned rigid or domineering, or to discipline that has slipped.
Biddy Tarot reads him as the Father archetype of the deck, paired with The Empress as the Mother. Waite called him “executive and realization, the power of this world.”
The card’s picture
Waite described “a crowned monarch, commanding, stately, seated on a throne”, with the arms of the throne fronted by rams’ heads. His scepter is a form of the Crux ansata, the looped cross, and he holds a globe in his left hand.
Waite wrote that this card and The Empress do not quite stand for married life, though that state is implied. On the surface they stand for worldly royalty, but Waite also read in The Emperor a “higher kingship” on the throne of the intellect, “the lordship of thought rather than of the animal world.”
Modern guides fill in the rest of the scene. Biddy Tarot reads the four rams’ heads as a link to Aries and Mars, the ankh in his hand as the Egyptian symbol of life, and the orb as the world he rules. Biddy Tarot reads his red robe as power and passion, the armor beneath it as protection from any threat or vulnerability, and his long white beard as age-old wisdom. Labyrinthos reads the barren mountains behind him as determination and ambition, in contrast with the flowing fields of The Empress.
Upright meaning
Waite’s divinatory list for the upright Emperor is stability, power, protection and realization, along with aid, reason, conviction, authority and will. Waite’s list also names “a great person.”
Labyrinthos reads the upright card as authority, regulation, organization and fatherliness, a strategic thinker who makes plans and sees them through. Labyrinthos also reads him as a ruler who knows that to reign is also to serve, acting for the greater good. In a reading, Labyrinthos takes the card as a chance to grow toward one’s goals by working methodically and strategically.
Biddy Tarot reads the card as taking on a protective, fatherly role for loved ones, whatever a person’s gender, and as a powerful leader who rules with a firm but fair hand. Biddy Tarot also reads it as a system of rules and order, with the advice to break a problem into parts and map out the steps. Biddy Tarot adds that the card signifies world knowledge and expertise, passed on to others as guidance.
Reversed meaning
Waite listed the reversed Emperor as benevolence, compassion and credit, and also confusion to enemies, obstruction and immaturity.
Modern readers read the reversal as power out of balance. Labyrinthos reads the reversed card as abused authority, whether from a father figure, a possessive partner or a superior at work, and as structures and rules that no longer work. Labyrinthos also reads it as a lack of self-control, or as avoiding the tasks that come with responsibility.
Biddy Tarot reads the reversed Emperor as a call to assess one’s relationship with power, control, authority and discipline, asking whether there is too much or too little of each. Biddy Tarot also reads it as a wish to stand up to an overbearing boss or a rigid organization, and as a prompt to check that a plan, a routine and the dedication to follow it are in place.
The Emperor in love
In love, Labyrinthos reads the upright Emperor as a call to bring common sense, structure, discipline and logic to relationships. Labyrinthos also reads relationships around this card as rather traditional, and the person it describes as older, well established and slow to express feelings.
Reversed, Labyrinthos reads the card as a power struggle or a fight for dominance, with competitiveness and a wish simply to be right. Biddy Tarot reads the reversed card in relationship readings as an unequal partnership, with a partner who has become overbearing or possessive.
The Emperor in career
For work, Labyrinthos reads the upright Emperor as a career doing well through hard work, concentration and an organized approach. Labyrinthos also reads it as a call to bring new structure to a chaotic workplace, and sometimes as a senior colleague or boss who offers support and advice.
Reversed, Labyrinthos reads the card as work that falters without focus or discipline, or as rigidity and bureaucracy that stifle creativity. Labyrinthos adds that at worst the reversed card can point to a boss who rules the workplace like a tyrant.
The Emperor and money
Labyrinthos reads the upright Emperor in money questions as a theme of control, discipline and responsibility, with a clear understanding of where money goes.
Reversed, Labyrinthos reads the card as a sense that money matters feel out of control, or as a lack of discipline around spending.
The Emperor as feelings
As feelings, Labyrinthos reads the upright Emperor as stability and respect: someone who sees another person as reliable and strong, and who values structure and the idea of a long-term bond. Labyrinthos also reads it as one’s own wish to set boundaries and find order.
Reversed, Labyrinthos reads insecurity or a feeling of being out of control, with emotions clouded by self-doubt. Labyrinthos also reads the reversed card as one’s own struggle with personal power and direction.
Questions to reflect on
- Where would a little more structure or routine bring calm?
- Is authority in a current situation being used fairly, by others or by oneself?
- Is control protecting something, or holding it too tightly?
- What experience could be passed on to someone who would benefit?