England’s First Overseas Colony (That Sowed The Seeds Of Empire)
How early was it?
At its peak, the British Empire was one of the largest empires in world history. The British had colonies and territories stretching from Oregon to Sri Lanka and from Hong Kong to South Africa. The famous saying said that the British Empire was so large that the sun never set on it. But the British Empire did not appear overnight. It took centuries of conniving, conquest, and setbacks to forge the British Empire. In fact, before Great Britain came into being, it was England that had dreams of unifying the British Isles under one banner.
Many people think that Jamestown was England’s first established colony. That is not the case. England’s first attempt at colonization was five hundred years before their ships set out for the New World. England’s first colony was established in nearby Ireland.
The English have had a long and bumpy history with Ireland. Not only was Ireland their first colony, but the first waves of English invaders and colonists set off an eight-century ordeal that would entangle England and Ireland for better and for worse.
Papal Blessing
In 1155, Pope Adrian IV issued a Papal Bull by the name of Laudabiliter. This papal bull gave England the authority to invade Ireland. The…
