Francis Knollys (admiral)
Encyclopedia
Sir Francis Knollys was an English privateer and politician who sat in the House of Commons
at various times between 1575 and 1648.
Knollys was the son of Sir Francis Knollys
, of Greys Court
in Oxfordshire
, and of Reading
, in Berkshire
, and his wife, Catherine Carey
and was generally known as Francis Knollys the younger. He attended Magdalen College, Oxford
in and around 1564. He was a student of Gray's Inn
in 1565.
In December 1575 Knollys was elected Member of Parliament
for Oxford
following the death of Edward Knollys, and held the seat unit 1589. In those early years he was involved in piracy with Sir Francis Drake
, serving as a rear-admiral on privateering activities in the Caribbean, returning in 1586 with considerable booty. He soon after served with his brother-in-law, the Earl of Leicester
, in the Netherlands campaign and was knighted by him at Flushing on 7 December 1587.
Knollys was once again elected MP in 1597, this time for Berkshire
. He was awarded MA at Oxford on 10 July 1598. In 1604 he was re-elected MP for Berkshire and sat until 1611. He was elected MP for Berkshire again in 1625. In April 1640, Knollys was re-elected MP for Reading in the Short Parliament
with his son, and was re-elected for the Long Parliament
in November 1640. He sat until his death in 1648.
Knollys died before May 1648 at the age of about 90, described by his colleagues as "the ancientest Parliament man in England" and was buried at St Lawrence church, Reading. He had married in 1588 Lettice Barrett, daughter of John Barrett, of Hanham
in Gloucestershire
. Knollys had three sons and six daughters, amongst them, Francis
, Robert and Lettice who married the parliamentarian, John Hampden
.
House of Commons of England
The House of Commons of England was the lower house of the Parliament of England from its development in the 14th century to the union of England and Scotland in 1707, when it was replaced by the House of Commons of Great Britain...
at various times between 1575 and 1648.
Knollys was the son of Sir Francis Knollys
Francis Knollys (the elder)
Sir Francis Knollys , of Greys Court, in Oxfordshire, KG was an English courtier in the service and favour of Henry VIII, Edward VI and Elizabeth I of England, and was a Member of Parliament for a number of constituencies....
, of Greys Court
Greys Court
Greys Court is a Tudor country house and associated gardens, located at , at the southern end of the Chiltern Hills at Rotherfield Greys, near Henley-on-Thames in the English county of Oxfordshire. It is owned by the National Trust and is open to the public....
in Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire is a county in the South East region of England, bordering on Warwickshire and Northamptonshire , Buckinghamshire , Berkshire , Wiltshire and Gloucestershire ....
, and of Reading
Reading, Berkshire
Reading is a large town and unitary authority area in England. It is located in the Thames Valley at the confluence of the River Thames and River Kennet, and on both the Great Western Main Line railway and the M4 motorway, some west of London....
, in Berkshire
Berkshire
Berkshire is a historic county in the South of England. It is also often referred to as the Royal County of Berkshire because of the presence of the royal residence of Windsor Castle in the county; this usage, which dates to the 19th century at least, was recognised by the Queen in 1957, and...
, and his wife, Catherine Carey
Catherine Carey
Katherine Carey, often spelt Catherine Carey, after her marriage Katherine Knollys and later Lady Knollys, pronounced "Noles" Katherine Carey, often spelt Catherine Carey, after her marriage Katherine Knollys and later Lady Knollys, pronounced "Noles" Katherine Carey, often spelt Catherine Carey,...
and was generally known as Francis Knollys the younger. He attended Magdalen College, Oxford
Magdalen College, Oxford
Magdalen College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. As of 2006 the college had an estimated financial endowment of £153 million. Magdalen is currently top of the Norrington Table after over half of its 2010 finalists received first-class degrees, a record...
in and around 1564. He was a student of Gray's Inn
Gray's Inn
The Honourable Society of Gray's Inn, commonly known as Gray's Inn, is one of the four Inns of Court in London. To be called to the Bar and practise as a barrister in England and Wales, an individual must belong to one of these Inns...
in 1565.
In December 1575 Knollys was elected Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for Oxford
Oxford (UK Parliament constituency)
Oxford was a parliamentary constituency in the United Kingdom. It comprised the city of Oxford in the county of Oxfordshire, and elected two Members of Parliament from its creation in 1295 until 1881...
following the death of Edward Knollys, and held the seat unit 1589. In those early years he was involved in piracy with Sir Francis Drake
Francis Drake
Sir Francis Drake, Vice Admiral was an English sea captain, privateer, navigator, slaver, and politician of the Elizabethan era. Elizabeth I of England awarded Drake a knighthood in 1581. He was second-in-command of the English fleet against the Spanish Armada in 1588. He also carried out the...
, serving as a rear-admiral on privateering activities in the Caribbean, returning in 1586 with considerable booty. He soon after served with his brother-in-law, the Earl of Leicester
Robert Dudley, 1st Earl of Leicester
Robert Dudley, 1st Earl of Leicester, KG was an English nobleman and the favourite and close friend of Elizabeth I from her first year on the throne until his death...
, in the Netherlands campaign and was knighted by him at Flushing on 7 December 1587.
Knollys was once again elected MP in 1597, this time for Berkshire
Berkshire (UK Parliament constituency)
Berkshire was a parliamentary constituency in England, represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of England until 1707, then of the Parliament of Great Britain from 1707 to 1800 and of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1801 to 1885...
. He was awarded MA at Oxford on 10 July 1598. In 1604 he was re-elected MP for Berkshire and sat until 1611. He was elected MP for Berkshire again in 1625. In April 1640, Knollys was re-elected MP for Reading in the Short Parliament
Short Parliament
The Short Parliament was a Parliament of England that sat from 13 April to 5 May 1640 during the reign of King Charles I of England, so called because it lasted only three weeks....
with his son, and was re-elected for the Long Parliament
Long Parliament
The Long Parliament was made on 3 November 1640, following the Bishops' Wars. It received its name from the fact that through an Act of Parliament, it could only be dissolved with the agreement of the members, and those members did not agree to its dissolution until after the English Civil War and...
in November 1640. He sat until his death in 1648.
Knollys died before May 1648 at the age of about 90, described by his colleagues as "the ancientest Parliament man in England" and was buried at St Lawrence church, Reading. He had married in 1588 Lettice Barrett, daughter of John Barrett, of Hanham
Hanham
Hanham is a village on the eastern outskirts of Bristol, England, situated on the A431 between Bristol, Bath and Keynsham. It is in the unitary authority of South Gloucestershire. It became a civil parish on April 1, 2003....
in Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire is a county in South West England. The county comprises part of the Cotswold Hills, part of the flat fertile valley of the River Severn, and the entire Forest of Dean....
. Knollys had three sons and six daughters, amongst them, Francis
Francis Knollys (died 1643)
Sir Francis Knollys was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons variously between 1624 and 1643.Knollys was the son of Sir Francis Knollys of Battle Manor at Reading in Berkshire and his wife, Lettice, daughter of John Barrett of Hanham in Gloucestershire. He matriculated at Queen's...
, Robert and Lettice who married the parliamentarian, John Hampden
John Hampden
John Hampden was an English politician, the eldest son of William Hampden, of Hampden House, Great Hampden in Buckinghamshire, John Hampden (ca. 15951643) was an English politician, the eldest son of William Hampden, of Hampden House, Great Hampden in Buckinghamshire, John Hampden (ca. 15951643)...
.