Francis, the son of Sir Robert Knollys and Lettice Peniston, came from a wealthy family and was educated at Oxford before becoming a favorite courtier of Henry VIII. In 1538, the king had bestowed upon him the estate of Rotherfield Greys in Oxfordshire. He was also made a gentleman-pensioner at court, and had attended the new queen, Anne of Cleves, upon her arrival at the English court in 1539 - the year before his wedding. He was, clearly, a well-positioned gentleman of high rank, and an excellent match for the young Catherine Carey.
Catherine, known first as Mistress Knollys, and then Lady Knollys after 1547 when Francis was knighted, bore her husband fourteen children - only one of whom reportedly died in infancy (the last):
- Mary Knollys (b. 1541)
- Henry Knollys (b. 1542)
- Lettice Knollys (b. 1543) - the future wife of Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester!
- William Knollys (b. 1544)
- Edward Knollys (b. 1546)
- Robert Knollys (b. 1547)
- Richard Knollys (b. 1548)
- Elizabeth Knollys (b. 1549)
- Thomas Knollys (b. 1550-1551?)
- Francis Knollys (b. 1552)
- Anne Knollys (b. 1555)
- Catherine Knollys (b. 1559)
- Margaret Knollys (b. ?)
- Dudley Knollys (b. 1562)
When Catherine died on 15 January 1569, the queen was distraught. She held a grand funeral for Catherine at Westminster Abbey, and had her buried in St. Edmund's Chapel. Catherine left her husband and thirteen of her children - some of whom had married.
Like most Tudor relationships, it is difficult to know the true emotional nature of Catherine and Francis's marriage, and whether or not it was a love match with real romantic feeling. But their numerous offspring certainly indicates that it was likely a happy marriage with a good deal of affection. Though Francis spent much of his time at court during their union, Catherine also enjoyed a number of posts in the households of various queens - so we can't assume that she felt particularly abandoned by her husband at their Oxfordshire manor house. They seem to have been a relatively standard example of a noble marriage in sixteenth-century England - and quite a nice example, at that!
Happy 481st Anniversary, Mary and Francis!