What playing card is known as the "Curse of Scotland?"

9-the nine of diamonds playing card is often referred to as the curse of scotland or the scourge of scotland, there are a number of reasons given for this connection: 1) it was the playing card used by sir john dalrymple, the earl of stair, to cryptically authorize the glencoe massacre. certainly there is a resemblance between the nine of diamonds and his coat of arms. 2) the duke of cumberland is supposed to have scribbled the order for no quarter to be given after the battle of culloden on a nine of diamonds playing card. 3) it has also been suggested that it is a misreading of the corse of scotland i.e. the cross of scotland or st andrews saltire. there is a resemblance between the pattern of the nine of diamonds and the saltire. 4) nine diamonds were at one time stolen from the crown of scotland and a tax was levied on the scottish people to pay for them the tax got the nickname the curse of scotland. 5) the game of com�te being introduced by mary of lorraine (alternatively by james, duke of york) into the court at holyrood, the nine of diamonds, being the winning card, got this name in consequence of the number of courtiers ruined by it. 6) in the game of pope joan, the nine of diamonds is the pope a personage whom the scotch presbyterians consider as a curse. 7) diamonds imply royalty and every ninth king of scotland was a curse to his country.