Which playing card is known as the Curse of Scotland?

The Curse of Scotland is a nickname used for the Nine of Diamonds playing card. The expression has been used at least since the early 18th century, and many putative explanations have been given for the origin of this nickname for the card.

By 1757 the card was described as "commonly called the Curse of Scotland" with the explanation that the epithet refers to Lord Ormistoune, Lord Justice Clerk from 1692 to 1735, who suppressed the Jacobite rising of 1715 and "became universally hated in Scotland". In 18th-century Scotland, the nine of diamonds was sometimes called the "Justice Clerk", and was considered to be the most unlucky card in the pack.

More Info: en.wikipedia.org

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22 Comments

Larry W. Jones

It is not irrelevant. It is part of world history..

Caroline Wilson

If you didn't care Nina - then why are you commenting. So now you've something new.

George Oliver Prince

This is why I play, I guess sometimes, but I always wind up learning something

Barbara Greer

but why the 9 of diamonds in particular? why not any of the other cards? I don't understand the connection. wish there had been more of an explanation.

Chris Braid

Excellent question and explanation thank you.

Shirley Dutt

Interesting. Thank you for the info.

Allan Colthart

I was told that the Duke of Cumberland wrote the death warrant for Jacobite prisoners after Culloden on the back of a nine of diamonds after he was asked whilst playing cards

Eileen Dunn

I didn’t know that..interesting.

Annie

Thank you for giving me some new information about Scotland’s history. I love new info. 👍🏻

Andrew Mullineaux

So why is it thus known?! Your "story" does not answer this obvious question!

Joe Mangan

Barbara Greer, I read about it many years ago and I vaguely recall an assertion that the card bore a similarity to the coat of arms of the reviled one.

Donna R. O'Brien Moran

Took a guess. Answered correctly. New information that I never knew. Thank you.

Claire Mitchell

Never heard of that. Thanks for the info.

John McLardie

The earliest reputed use is that by Sir James Dalrymple, Earl of Stair, who, apparently, sanctioned the Glencoe Massacre, by cryptically using the card. There is a passing similarity between the card and Stair's Coat of Arms.

Robert Henderson

I always thought it was because Butcher Cumberland used the back of one (playing cards then had plain backs) to write his orders for "no quarte"r to be shown to wounded rebels after Culloden

Carole Cottrell

The explanation doesn't say how this particular card related to Lord Ormistoune.

Grant McIntosh

I want to know what Nina Kamwene actually said, but her comment doesn't seem to be here, despite lots of comments criticising whatever it was that she said. And as a child, I was told that the 9 of Diamonds was the curse of Scotland, but never given a definitive reason why when I asked. So knew the answer but not why.