Issue
He married Catherine Carey, the daughter of Sir William Carey of Aldenham and Mary Boleyn in Hertfordshire on 26 April 1540. Sir Francis and Lady Knollys had a total of 15 children:
- Lettice Knollys, Countess of Essex and of Leicester (25 December 1539 - 25 December 1634). She married first Walter Devereux, 1st Earl of Essex, secondly Robert Dudley, 1st Earl of Leicester and thirdly Sir Christopher Blount.
- Mary Knollys (c. 1541 - 1593). She married Edward Stalker.
- Sir Henry Knollys (c. 1542 - 1583). He was a Member of Parliament representing Shoreham, Sussex in 1562, Reading, Berkshire (1563-1572) and then Oxfordshire. Esquire of the Body to Elizabeth I. He was married to Margaret Cave (1549–1600), daughter of Sir Ambrose Cave and Margaret Willington. Their daughter Lettice Knollys (1583–1655) married before 19 June 1602 William Paget, 4th Baron Paget.
- Elizabeth Knollys (15 June 1549 - c.1605). She married Sir Thomas Leighton of Feckenham, Worcester, son of John Leighton of Watlesburgh and Joyce Sutton, in 1578. Her husband served as Governor of Jersey and Guernsey.
- Sir William Knollys, 1st Earl of Banbury, (c. 1544 - 25 May 1632). Member of Parliament for Tregony and Oxfordshire. He was married first to Dorothy Bray, who was 20 years his senior; and secondly to Elizabeth Howard, daughter of Thomas Howard, 1st Earl of Suffolk and his second wife Catherine Knyvett.
- Edward Knollys (1546–1580). He was a Member of Parliament for Oxford (1571-1575).
- Sir Robert Knollys (1547–1626). Member of Parliament representing Reading, Berkshire (1572–1589), Brecknockshire (1589–1604), Abingdon, Oxfordshire (1604, 1624–1625) and finally Berkshire again (1626). He married Catherine Vaughan, daughter of Sir Rowland Vaughan, of Porthamel.
- Richard Knollys (1548 - 21 August 1596). Member of Parliament representing first Wallingford (1584) and then Northampton (1588). Married Joan Heigham, daughter of John Heigham, of Gifford's Hall, Wickhambrook, Suffolk.
- Maud Knollys, born c.1550, died young.
- Sir Thomas Knollys (d. 1596). Better known for service in the Eighty Years' War (1568–1648). Governor of Ostend in 1586. Married Odelia de Morana, daughter of John de Morada, Marquess of Bergen.
- Sir Francis Knollys "the Younger" (c. 1552 - 1648). Privateer and admiral and Member of Parliament representing several constituencis from 1575 to his death in 1648. He married Lettice Barrett, daughter of John Barrett, of Hanham. Father-in-law of John Hampden.
- Anne Knollys (19 July 1555 - 30 August 1608). Married Thomas West, 2nd Baron De La Warr. Mother to Thomas West, 3rd Baron De La Warr, after whom the state of Delaware is named.
- Catherine Knollys (21 October 1559 - 20 December 1620). Married first Gerald FitzGerald, Baron Offaly (son of Gerald FitzGerald, 11th Earl of Kildare and Mabel Browne) and secondly Sir Phillip Butler, of Watton Woodhall. She was the mother of Lettice Digby, 1st Baroness Offaly.
- Cecily Knollys, born c. 1560. No known descendants.
- Dudley Knollys, born 1562, died young.
Read more about this topic: Francis Knollys (the Elder)
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