On February 18, 1516, Mary Tudor, later Mary I of England and Ireland, was born. As queen, she was responsible for initiating the first of the English plantations in Ireland, specifically in counties Laois and Offaly. These plantations involved the confiscation of Irish lands and their redistribution to English settlers, fundamentally altering the social and political landscape of Ireland. Her reign marked a significant period in the long history of English involvement and influence in Irish affairs, laying groundwork for future policies.
