California had been settled by various Atlantean tribes until the Europeans arrived. This happened in 1581, when a Castillian expedition crossed the Arizona desert, until they reached the Pacific and claimed the area west of the Rockies. 1590, the Triple Monarchy of England-Castille-Portugal founded the sixth capitanate, of California. When the Triple Monarchy fell apart, California stayed a colony of Spain. In the second half of the 17th century, the Russians arrived in northern California; 1669, at OTL San Francisco Bay, Novorussians clashed with Spain.