Maaita's Crown

The Maaita's Crown as officially presented.

The Maaita's Crown, also known as the Crown of Tuaa Kaalalek, is a symbol in the heraldry of Freice. It is used to represent the authority of the Maaita of Freice and as a broader symbol of state and monarchical authority. It appears in the coat of arms of Freice, on Freician car registration plates, and has also appeared on coins.

The crown was devised by the Royal Riamese College of Arms and approved by King Frederick I, and introduced in 1969. The design is based on proposals for a crown to be made for the installation of Tuaa Kaalalek in 1873. The crown is a "paper crown" with no physical form, used solely for heraldic purposes; however, there have been attempts to create a physical crown for use on public occasions.

Design

The design is based on the heraldic depiction of the Prince's Crown, historically used by the crown prince. It consists of a gold circlet bearing a ring of golden leaves which meets at the front (above the forehead). Similar to a camp crown, it features a ring of golden palisades representing the traditional ways of delineating ownership of land.

Use

The crown is a "restricted state emblem" in Riamese federal copyright law and a "state symbol under copyright" under Freician law. As a purely heraldic design, it is illegal to replicate the design, although the copyright does not extend to creating a physical crown in its image. It is, however, illegal to purposely create and use a symbol to indicate state endorsement for a "product, service, or sentiment".

In 2021, a Freician man was charged with using a depiction of the crown as part of an advertising campaign for his business. The unnamed man received a fine for using the crown without permission and for "misleading the public with implied state recognition of the business".

See also

• Freice

External links

• Visit Freice - National Flag
• Island Government - Flag Protocol