The Chariot
The Chariot is the eighth Major Arcana card, numbered VII. It is among the cards present since the earliest Italian decks, tied to the theme of triumph that gave the game itself its name — the trionfi.
Last reviewed: 2026-07-18
Historical fact
The Chariot has been present since 15th-century Italian decks, showing a victorious figure — sometimes a general or noble — driving a chariot pulled by two horses or sphinxes. The theme of military conquest and triumph was common in the tradition of the 'trionfi' (triumphs), the original name of the card game that gave rise to the Tarot.
Interpretation — Rider-Waite-Smith / Golden Dawn
In the 1909 version, an armored knight drives a chariot pulled by two sphinxes, one black and one white, with a city's walls in the background. It represents willpower, victory achieved through the control of opposing forces, determination, and self-discipline to press forward despite obstacles.
Interpretation — Thoth (Aleister Crowley)
In the Thoth deck, the card is tied to Cancer and the Hebrew letter Cheth. It represents the vehicle of the soul in motion, victory achieved through inner mastery — not brute force, but the ability to hold direction and purpose amid opposing tensions.
This section presents one tradition's interpretation, not a verifiable fact.
Frequently asked questions
- Why is the Chariot linked to the idea of military triumph?
- Because Tarot began as a game called 'trionfi' in the 15th-century Italian courts, and the image of a victorious figure driving a chariot pulled by horses or sphinxes directly reflected that theme of conquest and the celebration of victory.
- What does the Chariot represent in a Tarot reading?
- It generally indicates determined advancement, overcoming obstacles through focus and discipline, and the need to keep conflicting forces or impulses under control in order to move forward.
Sources
- Michael Dummett. The Game of Tarot: From Ferrara to Salt Lake City (1980).
- Arthur Edward Waite. The Pictorial Key to the Tarot (1910).
- Aleister Crowley. The Book of Thoth (1944).
- Stuart R. Kaplan. The Encyclopedia of Tarot (1978).