Knollys family
An English noble family whose members served the Tudor and Stuart monarchies in government, military, court and parliamentary roles.
Last updated August 26, 2026
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Overview
The Knollys family, also recorded as Knolles or Knowles, was an English noble and gentry family whose documented lineage is traced to Sir Thomas Knollys, who died in 1435 and served as Lord Mayor of London. The family rose to national prominence during the sixteenth century through Sir Francis Knollys, a courtier, parliamentarian, soldier, administrator and committed Protestant associated with the reigns of Henry VIII, Mary I and Elizabeth I. His marriage to Catherine Carey, a cousin of Elizabeth I and niece of Anne Boleyn, further connected the family to the Tudor court. Sir Francis became one of the most influential members of the family. He entered royal service before 1540, sat in Parliament from 1542, was knighted in 1547, and held a succession of military and administrative appointments. He served as custodian of Wallingford Castle, governor of Plymouth and a royal representative in Ireland. In 1568 he was placed in charge of Mary, Queen of Scots, first at Carlisle and later at Bolton and Tutbury. He subsequently served as treasurer of Elizabeth I’s household, a position he held from 1572 until his death in 1596. His political career combined loyalty to Elizabeth with outspoken Puritan and anti-Catholic convictions, and he participated in proceedings involving Mary, Queen of Scots, Philip Howard, Earl of Arundel, and Anthony Babington. The family’s social and landed identity was closely associated with Greys Court at Rotherfield Greys, Caversham Park and estates around Reading and Oxfordshire. Their connections also left a local mark: a private chapel associated with the family was formerly visible in St Laurence’s Church in Reading, and Great Knollys Street was named after them. Several of Sir Francis’s sons served the Crown as courtiers, parliamentarians or soldiers, helping extend the family’s influence beyond a single generation. Sir William Knollys, Sir Francis’s second son, inherited the principal Oxfordshire estates after the death of his elder brother Henry without male issue. He became a privy councillor, comptroller and treasurer of the royal household, was created Baron Knollys in 1603, Viscount Wallingford in 1616 and Earl of Banbury in 1626. The Banbury title later became the subject of prolonged disputes over legitimacy, parliamentary recognition and the status of William’s descendants. The House of Lords declined to recognize several claimants as peers, although courts and family members continued to contest or discuss the title. The family’s later history included military and royal household service. General Sir William Knollys unsuccessfully claimed the Banbury earldom in the nineteenth century. His son Sir William Thomas Knollys became a senior army officer and royal official, while Francis Knollys, 1st Viscount Knollys, served as private secretary to Edward VII and George V. Other descendants included Sir Henry Knollys, private secretary to Maud, Queen of Norway, and Charlotte Knollys, who was private secretary and close companion to Alexandra, Princess of Wales and later Queen Alexandra. The Knollys family is therefore best understood not as a commercial brand but as a historical English lineage notable for its court connections, estates, political service, religious commitments and contested aristocratic titles.
History
The Knollys or Knolles family emerged from the English urban and landed elite. Its early lineage is associated with Sir Thomas Knollys, Lord Mayor of London, who died in 1435. A later Sir Robert Knollys served as a courtier under Henry VII and Henry VIII, and his son Sir Francis transformed the family into a prominent Tudor political house. Francis entered royal service before 1540, represented constituencies in Parliament, served in military and administrative posts, and was knighted in 1547. Francis’s Protestant commitments shaped both his career and the family’s historical reputation. During Mary I’s reign he withdrew to Germany, returning after Elizabeth’s accession to become a privy councillor and vice-chamberlain. He served as governor of Plymouth and undertook a mission to Ireland in 1566. In 1568 he supervised Mary, Queen of Scots, after her arrival in England. His correspondence with and religious discussions involving Mary reflected his strong Puritan outlook. From 1572 until his death in 1596 he was treasurer of Elizabeth I’s household. He also represented Oxfordshire, criticized aspects of Elizabeth’s foreign and ecclesiastical policy, and took part in major state proceedings. The family’s estates and relationships were concentrated in Oxfordshire and Berkshire, especially around Greys Court, Caversham Park, Rotherfield Greys, Rotherfield Peppard and Reading. Francis’s children continued the pattern of public service. His sons served as soldiers, courtiers and parliamentarians. His daughter Lettice became successively Countess of Essex and Countess of Leicester and was the mother of Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex, one of Elizabeth I’s leading favourites. William Knollys, Francis’s second son, inherited the family’s principal estates after the death of his elder brother Henry without sons. William rose under Elizabeth I and James I, becoming a councillor and senior royal household official. His titles culminated in the earldom of Banbury in 1626. His marriage to Elizabeth Howard generated a contentious succession because the paternity of her sons Edward and Nicholas was disputed. The courts recognized Edward and later Nicholas in relation to the title, but the House of Lords refused to grant the expected parliamentary recognition. The Banbury controversy continued through later generations. Charles Knollys, usually treated as the fourth earl by supporters of the claim, became involved in a notorious duel and lived a financially and socially disordered life. Later descendants used or discussed the title without securing definitive recognition. In 1813 the House of Lords rejected General Sir William Woods Knollys’s claim to a writ of summons, and he accepted the decision. The family nonetheless retained public importance through military and royal service. Sir William Thomas Knollys became a senior army officer, supervised the developing camp at Aldershot, chaired the council of military education, served as comptroller of the Prince of Wales’s household and later held the office of Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod. His son Francis became a senior royal private secretary and was elevated as Baron and later Viscount Knollys. Sir Henry Knollys served Maud, Queen of Norway, while Charlotte Knollys served Alexandra, Princess of Wales and later Queen Alexandra. The family’s surviving historical significance rests on these connections to the English monarchy, Parliament, military administration, landed society and contested peerage law.
- 1813
Banbury claim rejected
[1]The House of Lords rejected General Sir William Knollys’s claim to a writ of summons as Earl of Banbury.
- 1626
Creation of the Banbury earldom
[1]William Knollys was created Earl of Banbury.
- 1616
William Knollys becomes Viscount Wallingford
[1]William was advanced to the viscountcy of Wallingford.
- 1603
William Knollys becomes Baron Knollys
[1]William Knollys received a barony after the accession of James I.
- 1596
Death of Sir Francis Knollys
[1]Francis Knollys died after a career as a royal official, parliamentarian and religious polemicist.
- 1572
Francis becomes Treasurer of the Household
[1]He began a long tenure as treasurer of Elizabeth I’s royal household.
- 1568
Custody of Mary, Queen of Scots
[1]Francis Knollys was appointed to oversee Mary, Queen of Scots, at several English castles.
- 1547
Francis Knollys is knighted
[1]He was knighted while serving with the English army in Scotland.
- 1542
Francis Knollys enters Parliament
[1]Sir Francis Knollys began his parliamentary career during the reign of Henry VIII.
- 1435
Death of Sir Thomas Knollys
[1]Sir Thomas Knollys, identified as a Lord Mayor of London and an early ancestor of the family, died.
Products and positioning
Historical English noble and gentry lineage; not a commercial consumer brand.
Controversies
1692
Duel involving Charles Knollys
Charles Knollys killed his brother-in-law Captain Philip Lawson in a duel, prompting renewed questions about his social and legal status as an alleged peer.
1616
Political setback connected with the Overbury murder case
Because William Knollys’s second wife was related to Frances, Countess of Somerset, whose family was associated with the prosecution of the murder of Sir Thomas Overbury, William temporarily resigned senior royal household offices. The account describes suspicion by association rather than a finding that William committed wrongdoing.
Brand decisions
1626
Elevation of William Knollys to Earl of BanburyOtherBackground
William Knollys had already accumulated senior offices and titles under Elizabeth I and James I.
Action taken
The Crown created him Earl of Banbury.
Aftermath
The title later became embroiled in disputes over the legitimacy of his wife’s sons and their entitlement to sit in the House of Lords.
1568
Accept responsibility for Mary, Queen of ScotsStrategyBackground
The English Crown needed a trusted official to supervise the Scottish queen after her flight into England.
Action taken
Sir Francis Knollys took charge of Mary at Carlisle and later at Bolton and Tutbury Castles, while discussing religious and political questions with her.
Aftermath
He relinquished the guardianship shortly after the death of his wife in January 1569.
Recent events
- 1813
House of Lords rejects the later Banbury claim[1]
Lawsuit · Other
The House of Lords rejected General Sir William Knollys’s request for a writ of summons as Earl of Banbury.
- 1692
Charles Knollys faces a disputed peerage after a duel[1]
Lawsuit · Other
After Charles Knollys killed his brother-in-law Captain Philip Lawson in a duel, the House of Lords rejected his claim to trial as a peer, while the Court of King’s Bench released him on grounds connected with the Banbury title.
- 1661
Banbury title and legitimacy disputes reach Parliament[1]
Lawsuit · Other
The House of Lords declined to summon Nicholas, son of William Knollys’s widow Elizabeth Howard, despite legal and family claims concerning the Banbury earldom.
- 1626
William Knollys receives the title of Earl of Banbury[1]
Other
Sir William Knollys was elevated to the earldom of Banbury after earlier appointments as Baron Knollys and Viscount Wallingford.
- 1568
Francis Knollys takes charge of Mary, Queen of Scots[1]
Other
Sir Francis Knollys was sent to Carlisle to supervise Mary, Queen of Scots after her flight from Scotland, later overseeing her at Bolton and Tutbury Castles.
Sources4 sources
- 1Knollys familyen.wikipedia.org
- 2Knowles Acquires IMC To Expand Filtering Offering From The VHF To Ka Bandsrfglobalnet.com
- 3Knowles Acquires Microphone Design Assets from ams AG - Knowles (NYSE:KN)benzinga.com
- 4Knowles Partners with Lucid Hearing to enable Hearing Aid Premium Audio Performance - TWICEtwice.com
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