Majolica (Maiolica) is an Italian faience dating back to the Renaissance. “By the 13th century majolica ware was imported into Italy through the Isle of Majorca, headquarter of the trade between Spain and Italy. The Italians called it Maiolica, erroneously thinking it was made in Majorca”.The stanniferous or lead glaze technical was borrowed to the Spanish  potters. As the ceramic paste is porous, it is covered with a glaze to which is added tin oxide (stanniferous faience). The porous paste can also be covered with a glaze composed of vitreous materials (silica) with an add of lead oxide (lead faience).

http://www.cnrtl.fr/definition/majolique