Maryland was founded in 1632 as a proprietary colony granted to Cecil Calvert, 2nd Baron Baltimore, by King Charles I. The primary reason for its founding was to establish a refuge for England's Roman Catholic minority who were facing persecution. Maryland was notable for its religious tolerance, allowing Catholics and Protestants to worship freely, which made it distinctive among early American colonies. It was named in honor of Queen Henrietta Maria, the wife of King Charles I. The colony's first settlers arrived in 1634 and established the first settlement at St. Mary's City. The economy soon centered on tobacco cultivation, relying heavily on indentured servants and African slave labor. Thus, Maryland was founded primarily as a haven for English Catholics seeking religious freedom and a place to govern according to their faith and laws, while also allowing for religious diversity and coexistence among its settlers.