Clan Gunn

The Battle of Harpsdale was fought in 1426 where the Clan Gunn fought an inconclusive battle with the Clan Mackay.

The Gunn's traditional enemies were the Clan Keith, who from their Ackergill Castle, challenged the Gunn chiefs for both political needs and for land. In one such feud it was claimed that Dugald Keith coveted Helen, daughter of Gunn of Braemor. The girl resisted Keith's advances but on learning that she was to be married to another man, he surrounded her father's house, slew many of the inhabitants and carried the girl to Ackergill Castle where she threw herself from the tower, rather than submitting to her kidnapper. The Gunns retaliated and repeatedly raided the Keith's territory; however, they suffered defeat in 1438 or 1464 at the Battle of Tannach. Both sides having suffered considerable losses agreed to meet and settle their differences in what is known as the Battle of Champions, where each side was to bring twelve horses. However, the Keiths arrived with two warriors on each horse and slaughtered the outnumbered Gunns. This was in turn avenged by the chief's remaining son James who killed Keith of Ackergill and his son at Drummoy.

In 1517 the Clan Gunn supported the Clan Sutherland in defeating the Clan Mackay at the Battle of Torran Dubh.

Alistair Gunn, son of John Robson Gunn, had become a man of much note and power in the North. He had married the daughter of John Gordon, 11th Earl of Sutherland and for this reason "he felt entitled to hold his head high amongst the best in Scotland". His pride, or perhaps his loyalty to the Earl of Sutherland, led to his undoing when in 1562, he led Gordon's retinue and encountered James Stewart, 1st Earl of Moray, and his followers on the High Street of Aberdeen. The Earl of Moray was the bastard half-brother of Mary, Queen of Scots, as well as the son-in-law of William Keith, 4th Earl Marischal, chief of Clan Keith. It was the custom at the time to yield thoroughfares to the personage of greater rank, and in refusing to yield the middle of the street to Stewart and his train, Alistair publicly insulted the Earl. Stewart soon afterward had him pursued to a place called Delvines, near Nairn. There he was captured by Andrew Munro of Milntown and taken to Inverness, and following a mock trial, he was executed.

In the late 16th century the Gunns were involved in a number of feuds against the Earl of Sutherland and Earl of Caithness. In 1586 at the Battle of Allt Camhna the Clan Gunn was victorious but they were defeated shortly afterward by a massive force at the Battle of Leckmelm.

During the 17th century the Clan Gunn strengthened their links with the Clan Mackay when Gunn of Killearnan married Mary Mackay, sister of Lord Reay, chief of Clan Mackay. The next Gunn chief married Lord Reay's daughter.

Another branch of the clan, the Gunns of Bramore, who descend from Robert, a younger son of Am Braisdeach Mor were generally known as the Robson Gunns. Sir William Gunn, brother of the Robson chief, despite being Catholic served in the army of the Protestant king of Sweden, and rose to command a battalion. He later fought for Charles I and received a knighthood in 1639. He later returned to the Continent where he served the Holy Roman Empire and married a German baroness. He became an imperial general and was created baron of the Holy Roman Empire in 1649.