Plantation of Ulster

The Plantation of Ulster was a 17th-century initiative by the English and Scottish crown to settle Protestants in Ireland’s Ulster region, which was predominantly Gaelic and Catholic. Starting in 1609, tenants from Britain were granted land, often displacing Gaelic Irish landowners. This colonization aimed to strengthen British control, reduce Irish resistance, and promote Protestant dominance. The plantation significantly altered Ulster’s demographics, leading to enduring religious and political divisions that continue to influence Northern Ireland’s history today.