Thomas Knyvet, 1st Baron Knyvet

Thomas Knyvet, 1st Baron Knyvet (or Knevytt, Knyvett, Knevett, Knevitt; 1545 – 27 July 1622) was an English courtier and Member of Parliament who played a part in foiling the Gunpowder Plot.

Thomas Knyvet was the second son of Sir Henry Knyvet of Charlton, Wiltshire, and Anne Pickering, daughter of Sir Christopher Pickering of Killington, Westmorland. His niece, Catherine Knyvet, was married to Thomas Howard, 1st Earl of Suffolk. He attended Jesus College, Cambridge.

He was a Gentleman of the Privy Chamber to Queen Elizabeth I, and in 1592 was made Master at Arms. He was elected Member of Parliament for Thetford in 1601.

On 21 July 1597 Knyvet married Elizabeth Hayward, the daughter of Sir Rowland Hayward and widow of Richard Warren of Claybury, Essex. He was granted the manor of Stanwell in 1603. He was knighted in 1604.

Knyvet was the most active intervener in foiling the Gunpowder Plot. On the evening of 26 October 1605, the Catholic Lord Monteagle received an anonymous letter warning him to stay away from Parliament during the opening, and to "retyre youre self into yowre contee whence yow maye expect the event in safti for ... they shall receyve a terrible blowe this parleament". Monteagle's letter was shown to King James. The King ordered Knyvet to conduct a search of the cellars underneath Parliament, which he carried out with Edmund Doubleday in the early hours of 5 November. Guy Fawkes was found by Knyvet leaving the cellar, shortly after midnight, and arrested. Inside, the barrels of gunpowder were discovered hidden under piles of firewood and coal.

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