For each Crown Tournament in Lochac, a pair of:
- Champion’s Wreaths are made and gifted to the victor of the tournament and their consort. These wreaths are made of rosemary and wrapped in ribbons representing the colours of Lochac – red, blue and white;
The Champion Wreaths from November Crown 2014, made by Countess Liadan ingen Fheradaig. Photo by TH Lady Ceara Shionnach. - Wreaths of Valour are made and gifted to the fighter and consort who the Crown saw display the most valour in the tournament on the day. These wreaths are made of rosemary and wrapped in red ribbons; and
The Wreaths of Valour from November Crown 2014, made by Countess Liadan ingen Fheradaig. Photo by TH Lady Ceara Shionnach. - Wreaths of Chivalry are made and gifted to the fighter and consort who the Crown saw display the most Chivalry in the tournament on the day. These wreaths are made of rosemary and wrapped in white ribbons.
The Wreaths of Chivalry from November Crown 2014, made by Countess Liadan ingen Fheradaig. Photo by TH Lady Ceara Shionnach.
According to an article from the Metropolitan Museum, rosemary was said to provide protection against bodily and spiritual harm in the middle ages. This plant was also associated with strengthening memory in the 16th century.
The red and white ribbons used in the Wreaths of Valour and Chivalry are a tradition that originated in the West Kingdom that has carried on in Lochac.
These wreaths are often made by the Ladies of the Rose, or are organised by Crown Tournament event stewards. They are often made in the morning at the event, before/during the tournament. The simplest versions of these wreaths can be made by winding long sprigs (at least the length of the forearm) of rosemary into a circle before spiral-wrapping the appropriate coloured ribbons to them. A set of instructions for making wreaths of rosemary using wire and ribbons can be found online. The ribbons can also be wrapped in a multitude of ways, for example: spiral-wrapped once, spiral-wrapped twice to make a criss-cross pattern, and may also have a tail of ribbons hanging from the back.
These wreaths are often dried and kept by the recipients as treasured keepsakes from the day. The Champion’s Wreaths are presented to the Princes and Princesses of Lochac on the day of their victory, and thus all past recipients are listed on the Royalty page. Past recipients of the Wreaths of Valour and Chivalry are available on Canon Lore under the award listings under the heading ‘Order of Precedence’.