<Li> Delaware (east) </Li> <Li> West Virginia (west) </Li> <P> The Catholic George Calvert, 1st Lord Baltimore (1579--1632), sought a charter from King Charles I for the territory between Massachusetts to the north and Virginia to the immediate south . After George Calvert died in April 1632, the charter was granted to his son, Cecilius Calvert, 2nd Baron Baltimore (1605--1675), on June 20, 1632 . Officially, the new "Maryland Colony" was named in honor of Henrietta Maria of France, wife of Charles I of England . Alternatively, Some Catholic scholars and historians believe Maryland may have been named after Mary, the mother of Jesus, by George Calvert, 1st Lord Baltimore prior to his death in 1632 . His original intent may never fully be known . The specific name given in the charter was phrased Terra Mariae, anglice, Maryland . The English name was preferred due to undesired associations of Mariae with the Spanish Jesuit Juan de Mariana, linked to the Inquisition . In addition, Henrietta was never referred to by both her first and middle name . Scholars also agree that under no circumstances was a territory ever named after someone's middle name . Many agree that since the original capital of Maryland was St. Mary's City on the north shore of the Potomac River--and the county surrounding it, the first erected / created in the province, was named St. Mary's County--Maryland was most likely named after Mary, the mother of Jesus Christ . The great seal of Maryland also supports this conclusion . The obverse side of the seal reads TERRÆ MARIÆ, which translates in Latin as "Land of Mary" instead of TERRÆ MARIA, which would acknowledge Henrietta's middle name . </P> <P> Lord Baltimore's first settlers arrived in the new colony in March 1634, with his younger brother Leonard Calvert (1606--1647), as first provincial Governor of Maryland . They made their first permanent settlement at St. Mary's City in what is now St. Mary's County . They purchased the site from the paramount chief of the region, who was eager to establish trade . St. Mary's became the first capital of Maryland, and remained so for 60 years until 1695 . More settlers soon followed . Their tobacco crops were successful and quickly made the new colony profitable . However, given the incidence of malaria, yellow fever and typhoid, life expectancy in Maryland was about 10 years less than in New England . </P>

Where did the state of maryland get its name