Gaspar de Portolà de Rovira (1716-1784) was a Spanish soldier, governor of Baja and Alta California (1767-1770), explorer and founder of San Diego and Monterey. He was born in Os de Balaguer, province of Lleida, in Catalonia, Crown of Aragon, of Catalan nobility. Don Gaspar served as a soldier in the Spanish army in Italy and Portugal. The Portolá Expedition was led by Gaspar de Portolá from July 14, 1769 to January 24, 1770. It was the first recorded Spanish (and European) land entry and exploration of present day California, United States. In Portolá's era it was known as the first venture by land into the mainland upper area of the Province of Las Californias in New Spain.