The second Duke of Northumberland presented these pistols to Thayendanegea (aka Joseph Brant, 1742-1807) in 1791. Thayendanegea was a Mohawk who was a renowned war chief of the Iroquois Confederacy. During the American Revolution, Thayendanegea fought on the British side and convinced most Iroquois to follow him. These pistols were delivered to Brant in 1793 by John Graves Simcoe, the newly appointed Lieutenant Governor of Upper Canada. They are of unique Scottish type and were prestige weapons of officers in Highland regiments, aristocrats, Scottish chieftans, etc.
