In the 16th century, French playing card makers started associating each king with a famous historical figure:
❤️ King of Hearts – Charlemagne
♠️ King of Spades – King David
♦️ King of Diamonds – Julius Caesar
♣️ King of Clubs – Alexander the Great
🔹 Originally, some decks even depicted them with their real faces! But over time, designs became more stylized, and the historical links faded.