HELEN GUNN: THE 500 YEAR CLAN FEUD

One tradition in the history of the Clan Gunn tells us that Helen, the beautiful and only daughter of Lachlan Gunn of Braemore, known today better as St. Andrew's, the home of golf, was the cause of quite a similar uproar two millenium later, that being the fifteenth century. Helen Gunn was to marry Alexander Gunn, a cousin. (Don't go there!) On the night before they were to be married, while the Gunn's were celebrating, Dougald Keith of Ackergill, abducted Helen Gunn and jailed her in Keith Castle. Helen realizing her predicament, pleaded with a Keith to let her view the land from the top of the tower. The guard realizing she could not escape allowed her request. Helen threw herself from the tower to her death.

Clan Gunn avenged the abduction of one of their own by Clan Keith, for generations.

The clan feud continuted for 500 years.

The Gunn's were no strangers to doing battle. They had earlier family fights with the MacKays as well. Three battle dates have been mentioned by historians and genealogists:

GREEK MYTHOLOGY ~ 1200 BC

Mythology tells us that Helen of Sparta, the immortal daughter of Zeus the Greek God and Leda, Queen of Sparta was married to the old Menelaus, when she met young Paris. They sailed off to Egypt and Troy. Besides the ships that followed, so did ten years of war and the Trojen Horse. Sourse: Robert E.Bell

For more about Helen of Troy (Sparta) click below.

1464: Battle at Chapel of St. Tears - Near Ackergill, Scotland's Highlands.

The Keith's had an appointment with the Gunn's for a battle.

Clan Keith outnumbered the Gunn's by treachery.

The Gunn's fought fiercely, but lost their chief Crowner George

Gunn. His badge of authority, a large silver broach and sword was

lost.

1517: Helen Gunn avenged another time.

Two generations after the death of Helen, the Gunn's came across

a number of Keith's in the Helmsdale area and killed everyone of

them.

1585: Clan Gunn battles the Earls of Caithness and Clan MacKay.

The Gunn's were defeated at Lockbroom by the Earl of Southerland.

It was a matter of survival that Clan Gunn relocate.