February 2 2015 International Relations and Spanish Responses and Consolidation LaSalle and the French Threat o Franco Spanish rivalry French began to establish their roots in Louisiana Create good trading relationships with the local indigenous tribes French pose a real threat to Spanish territorial claims to the New World LaSalle landed on the Texas coast near the Sabine pass in 1685 Seeking the mouth of the Mississippi River o There was a storm and the ships skirted the coast of the Texas coastline and entered Matagorda Bay o The ship The Belle was wrecked o Set up Fort St Louis Fort was built of timber from the wrecked ships Armed with eight cannons Used the fort as a base for exploration in the area Argues that some of his men were eaten by the Karankawa LaSalle decided that he needed to return to French territory in Canada and sets off on foot LaSalle was not heard of again and it is speculated that he may have been murdered by his own men Frenchman who demonstrated great courage and has always been a charming and appealing historical figure Fort provides claim to the territory for France Highlighted to the Spanish how vulnerable their holdings are The Belle was recently excavated as well as the cannons o Alonso de Leon Leader of a military party Discovers the fort is empty and the cannons To prevent the fort from being able to use the cannons he buries them for Spanish use Remained undisturbed for 300 years o San Francisco de los Tejas 1690 1693 A mission In charge four priests and six soldiers Short lived Diseases by the Europeans decimated any Indians who attended the mission Geography is very isolated Lack of Indian cooperation Also flooding Spanish Imperial Situation o Running out of resources to control this huge empire o Difficult to control o Franco Spanish rivalry o Turn of the seventeenth century o Decline of the empire Humiliating territorial military and diplomatic defeats They will find a 12 year truce with the Dutch Spanish infantry will suffer a defeat to the French and strike a blow to their reputation Internal revolts Other people wanted to gain control Piracy Ships carrying these riches are called the treasure fleet Pirates wanted to attack the treasure fleet and get all the gold and silver Sir Francis Drake Defeat of the Spanish treasure fleet Weak leadership o Spanish Imperial Indian Policy o Texas Tribal organization Spanish superiority Failure to understand Indian diversity Violence Imperial context God Gold and Glory Texas is a buffer East Texas Mission and Presidio Establishment o Corpus Christi de la Ysleta 1598 1607 o San Clemente 1683 1684 o San Francisco de los Tejas 1690 o San Juan Bautista 1699 Father Francisco Hidalgo South of the Rio Grande Built as a gateway rest stop for going into the northern territory Texas Very dedicated missionary Wishes to move into the center of Texas to convert the indigenous peoples Has to wait for a renewal of the French threat before he can get back into Texas o Father Hidalgo International Challenges o French Louisiana They set up trade with local tribes They want to expand into Texas Spanish feel like it is too much of a threat o Governor of Louisiana Antoine Cadillac Determined to try and find a way to open the trade agreements Working with Father Hidalgo he suggests that the French assist with missionary work missionary work Will commission Captain Luis St Denis 1714 to help Hidalgo with Denis travels through Texas to San Bautista o On his way he sets up a small trading post in Nacogdoches Arrives and is seen as a threat so he is thrown into prison Denis falls in love with the Presidio s commander s granddaughter o The commander is Diego Ramon o The granddaughter is Manuela Sanchez y Navarro o They get married o He is now out of jail o He hatches a plan with Hidalgo They agree to move into Texas each for different purposes They set off to Mexico City and get an agreement for this Hidalgo receives permission to go to East Texas with Denis as his guide o Six Spanish missions are set up under this agreement o Denis set up trading and supplies for the missions o Spanish reoccupy East Texas There s a great distance between Mexico and East Texas Spanish decide that these mission need to be a bit closer in Central Texas o Martin de Alarcon San Antonio de Valero San Antonio de Bexar 1718 The Alamo Waystation supply station for the East Texas missions o Spain and France are once again at war in Europe which carries over into the New World Hearing that France and Spain are at war in Europe the French in the New French hear about it first World decide to make a token contribution to the war effort They send out Corporal Blondel with six soldiers What results is known as the Chicken War 1719 Not intended to engage the enemy They capture a mission in East Texas A scanty mission not a serious offensive o As they approach the mission they startle the chickens who begin to squawk o A handful of residents flee o By the time the news gets to Bexar the rumor gets exaggerated The French are now invading with a huge force The commander of the Presidio in San Antonio orders all missions in East Texas to be abandoned and for all the people to come to San Antonio Illustrates that the Spanish hold in Texas is still extremely flimsy o Marques de Aguayo 1721 1722 To drive the French out and re establish the East Texas missions Establish Mission San Jose Located about five miles from San Antonio He goes ahead an re establishes the East Texas missions Creates a new presidio in present day Louisiana called Los Adaes Los Adaes Capital when Texas is created as a new province Went to the site of Fort St Louis and ordered the construction of the site La Bahia hoping to create a port trading center Consolidation of Spanish Texas o Texas is always a low priority o 1727 cost cutting o Rivera y Villalon inspection 1729 o The soldiers are redirected back to San Antonio o Jose de Escandon 1740 s 1750 s Skilled surveyor and planner Colonized the Rio Grande valley 6 000 people settled in this area Laredo o Canary Islanders Settlement that prospered in the area Removes La Bahia to Goliad 1749 Many people didn t want to go to Texas to live Spanish know the importance of populating their settlements From the Canary Islands 25 families arrived to live in Texas The king of Spain hoped for 100 families but didn t quite get there They were offered titles to come live in Texas Don or Dona First group who provided an organized municipal government in Texas
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