A Scottish Cavalier. The life, times and adventures of Sir William Gun (1603-1661)

By Michael J. Gunn
A4, 50pp., comb-bound, illustrated, GB£7.50
ISBN 1 897955

In his mid-twenties William Gun joined Lord Reay's Regiment of Scots, later known as the Scots Brigade, and left his native Scotland in 1626. He went on to have a glittering career, serving as a mercenary under the banners of Christian IV of Denmark and Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden, fighting against the Imperialist forces of the Holy Roman Empire. Captured by the Imperial general Tilly at Neubrandenburg, he was ransomed and released and was present at the battle of Lutzen in 1632 when Gustavus Adolphus was killed. Fighting subsequently under the Protestant generals Horn and Bernard von Saxe-Weimar he was present at their disastrous defeat at Nordlingen in 1634, having himself organised the retreat which saved Count Bernard's life. Promoted to the rank of Colonel he returned to London where he was recommended by Charles I to the service of Ladislaus, King of Poland and to Duke Radziwill. However William soon returned to Germany where he offered his services to General Bannier. His next action seems to have been at the Pass of Fresdorpe in 1636 when he commanded the thousand musketeers and two regiments of horse which dislodged the Imperialist defenders. Less than two weeks later he was given command of the advance guard of the Swedish army at the battle of Wittstock where he beat off no less than eight charges by the enemy and was reckoned by one of his contemporaries to have been the “chief instrument in obtaining this victorie”.

Returning again to Britain he took up the cause of Charles I and was appointed second-in-command of the Scottish Royalist Army under Viscount Aboyne. He was present at the battle of the Brig' o'Dee in 1639 where his advice to Aboyne was ignored with disastrous results. He after joined the King at Berwick , where he was knighted. Shortly after he returned to Germany where, after years fighting the Protestant cause, he joined the army of the Catholic Emperor. He married a German noblewoman and was created a Baron of the Holy Roman Empire in 1646. He purchased the castle of Staufeneck and became well known as a tolerant lord, his church being open to both Protestants and Catholics alike. The Emperor promoted him to the rank of Major-General of the Imperial Army and his descendants number three kings of the Belgians, two Princes of Lichtenstein, and a Grand-duke of Luxembourg This book tells his story.

• A4, 50 pages
• 24 illustrations
• 1 pedigree chart