John Knight (died 1718) facts for kids

Sir John Knight (died February 1718) was an English merchant and politician. He served in the English Parliament, known as the House of Commons, from 1689 to 1695. He was known for his strong opinions and for standing up for what he believed in during a time of big changes in England.

Early Life

John Knight was born into a family of merchants in Bristol, England. His father was a sugar refiner. John took over the family business in 1678 after his father passed away. He was also related to another important person named Sir John Knight, who was also a Member of Parliament for Bristol.

Becoming a Sheriff

In September 1681, John Knight became the sheriff of Bristol. This was an important job in the city. While in this role, he had disagreements with certain religious groups. This caused a lot of discussion in Bristol. In March 1682, he met King Charles II and was made a knight. From then on, he was known as Sir John Knight.

Standing Up to the King

In April 1686, Sir John Knight told the mayor and other sheriffs about a meeting of Catholics. This led to a priest being arrested. When King James II, who was Catholic, heard about this, Sir John was arrested. He had to explain himself to the King's special council, called the Privy Council. He tried to use a legal process called habeas corpus to be released. This process allows someone to challenge if their arrest is lawful. However, it did not work for him. Luckily, a jury in Bristol found him not guilty in November.

A Member of Parliament

Sir John Knight tried to become a Member of Parliament (MP) for Bristol in 1685 but did not win. However, in 1689, he was elected as an MP for Bristol. This was for a special Parliament called the Convention Parliament.

Disagreeing with New Rulers

Sir John Knight had strong views about who should be king and queen. He did not agree that King James II leaving England meant the throne was empty. Because of this, he was against William III and Mary II becoming the new monarchs.

The Naturalisation Bill Debate

In 1693, Sir John Knight spoke out against a new law. This law was called the Naturalisation Bill. It aimed to give English citizenship to Protestants from other countries who lived in England. In a speech against the bill, Sir John said: "Let us first kick the bill out of the House; and then let us kick the foreigners out of the kingdom."

His speech was printed as a small book, called a pamphlet. Tens of thousands of copies were shared. But when the House of Commons saw the pamphlet, they said it was "false, scandalous, and seditious." They ordered it to be burned. Sir John Knight said he knew nothing about the pamphlet being printed.

What People Thought of Him

People had different opinions about Sir John Knight. One person, Narcissus Luttrell, called him a "violent tory." Another important writer, Thomas Babington Macaulay, described him as a "coarse-minded and spiteful Jacobite." A Jacobite was someone who supported King James II.

Family Life

Sir John Knight married Anne Smith. Together, they had one son and two daughters.