Gunn Clan Crest
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CREST: A dexter cubit arm attired in the proper tartan of Clan Gunn, the hand Proper grasping a basket-hilted sword blade Gules, hilted Argent MOTTO: Aut pax aut bellum TRANSLATION: Either peace or war VARIATIONS: N/A |
| The Scottish Clan Gunn has a rich and fascinating history, filled with legends of Viking ancestry, heroic battles, and tragic feuds. Its origins date back to the 12th century, when Gunni and his wife Ragnhild inherited estates in Caithness, Scotland from her brother, Harald, Jarl of Orkney.
Gunni was descended from Viking adventurers, and his name itself meant “war.” His grandfather, Sweyn, was killed in 1171 during a raid in Dublin. Ragnhild, on the other hand, was descended from St. Ragnvald, the founder of the great cathedral of St. Magnus at Kirkwall. This blending of Viking and Celtic blood would shape the history of Clan Gunn for centuries to come. |
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| The first chief of Clan Gunn to appear definitively in records was George Gunn, who was coroner of Caithness in the fifteenth century. He was also known as “Am Braisdeach Mor,” or the “great brooch-wearer,” because of the insignia he wore as coroner. He held court in his castle at Clyth with such splendor that he rivaled any Highland chief.
The Gunns’ traditional enemies were the Keiths, who challenged the Gunn chiefs for political hegemony and land in the region. The feud between the two families was fueled by a personal insult when Dugald Keith allegedly coveted Helen, daughter of Gunn of Braemor. Keith surrounded her father’s house, slew many of the inhabitants, and carried the hapless girl to Ackergill. She threw herself from the castle tower rather than submit to her kidnapper. The Gunns repeatedly raided Keith territory, but suffered defeats at the Battle of Tannach Moor in 1438 and Dirlot in Strathmore in 1464. In a battle of champions between the two families, each side was to bring twelve horses, but the Keiths arrived with two warriors on each horse and outnumbered the Gunns. The resulting slaughter saw the chief and four of his sons killed, and the great coroner’s brooch stolen. James, the remaining son, avenged his family by killing Keith of Ackergill and his son at Drummoy. The Gunns’ survival was threatened when the Earls of Caithness and Sutherland entered into a pact to destroy the clan, probably sealed at Girnigoe castle around 1586. There were a number of indecisive encounters with heavy casualties inflicted on both sides. The Gunns strengthened their connection with the Mackays when Gunn of Killearnan married Mary, sister of Lord Reay, the Mackay chief. The sixth chief, Donald Crottach, “the hunchback,” lost the lands of Killearnan through debt, and the house at Killearnan was destroyed, possibly due to an accident with gunpowder. However, one branch of the clan reached its pinnacle when the Gunns of Braemore, descendents of Robert, a younger son of “Am Braisdeach Mor,” rose to prominence. Sir William Gunn, brother of the Robson chieftain, fought for the Protestant king of Sweden and rose to command a battalion. He later fought for Charles I, who conferred a knighthood on him in 1639. He married a German baroness and became an imperial general. Today, Clan Gunn is still active and proud of its heritage. The clan motto is “Aut pax aut bellum,” or “Either peace or war,” reflecting the clan’s warrior spirit. The clan badge features an arm grasping a basket-hilted sword, and the clan tartan is predominantly blue and green with black and white stripes. The history of Clan Gunn is a testament to |
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