Events

• The Plantation of King's County (now County Offaly
  County Offaly
  County Offaly is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Midlands Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the ancient Kingdom of Uí Failghe and was formerly known as King's County until the establishment of the Irish Free State in 1922. Offaly County Council is...
  
  ) and Queen's County (now County Laois
  County Laois
  County Laois is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Midlands Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It was formerly known as Queen's County until the establishment of the Irish Free State in 1922. The county's name was formerly spelt as Laoighis and Leix. Laois County Council...
  
  ), the earliest attempt at systematic ethnic cleansing by the English in Ireland, started. The plantations were named after the new Catholic monarchs Philip
  Philip II of Spain
  Philip II was King of Spain, Portugal, Naples, Sicily, and, while married to Mary I, King of England and Ireland. He was lord of the Seventeen Provinces from 1556 until 1581, holding various titles for the individual territories such as duke or count....
  
   and Mary respectively.