John Holles, 1st Earl of Clare (May 1564 – 4 October 1637) was an English nobleman. He was the son of Denzil Holles of Irby upon Humber and Eleanor Sheffield (daughter of Edmund Sheffield, 1st Baron Sheffield of Butterwick). His great-grandfather was William Hollyes, Lord Mayor of London. He was born at Haughton Hall, Nottinghamshire and educated at Christ's College, Cambridge from 1579, aged 12, after which he studied law at Gray's Inn from 1583. He was at Court until 1599. He was comptroller of the household of Prince Henry until the prince's death on 6 November 1612.