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How did California Get its Name? You Might be Surprised

By Damian Bacich

How did California Get its Name

The name “California” comes from a 16th century Spanish novel that involves a warrior queen named Calafia. But the name also has much deeper roots that connect North African pirates and a medieval epic poem.

Filed Under: Podcast Episodes, Spanish Exploration and Colonization Tagged With: Calafia, California, Cervantes, Don Quixote, Song of Roland

I’m Dr. Damian Bacich, and I started the California Frontier Project. Learn more about me and the project here.

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