Martín de Alarcón was the Governor of Coahuila and

Spanish Texas Spanish Texas was one of the interior provinces of the colonial Viceroyalty of New Spain from 1690 until 1821. The term "interior provinces" first appeared in 1712, as an expression meaning "far away" provinces. It was only in 1776 that a lega ...

from 1705 until 1708, and again from 1716 until 1719. He founded

San Antonio ("Cradle of Freedom") , image_map = , mapsize = 220px , map_caption = Interactive map of San Antonio , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = United States , subdivision_type1= U.S. state, State , subdivision_name1 = Texas , s ...

, the first Spanish civilian settlement in Texas.

Texas

First term

Alarcón was first appointed governor of the Spanish provinces of Coahuila and Texas in 1705.Weddle (1967), p. 548. At this time, no Spanish settlements existed in

Texas Texas (, ; Spanish language, Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2 ...

. The last of the original Catholic missions in

East Texas East Texas is a broadly defined cultural, geographic, and ecological region in the eastern part of the U.S. state of Texas that comprises most of 41 counties. It is primarily divided into Northeast and Southeast Texas. Most of the region cons ...

had been abandoned in 1699. The French had been establishing settlements west of the

Mississippi River The Mississippi River is the second-longest river and chief river of the second-largest drainage system in North America, second only to the Hudson Bay drainage system. From its traditional source of Lake Itasca in northern Minnesota, it f ...

, and Spanish authorities feared that the French would expand into Texas. In 1707, the viceroy of New Spain ordered all provincial governors to prevent the entry of foreigners and their goods.Chipman (1992), p. 107. Alarcón proposed that one of the missions along the

Rio Grande The Rio Grande ( and ), known in Mexico as the Río Bravo del Norte or simply the Río Bravo, is one of the principal rivers (along with the Colorado River) in the southwestern United States and in northern Mexico. The length of the Rio G ...

, Mission San Bernardo, be relocated into Texas, along the

Frio River The Frio River is a river in the U.S. state of Texas. The word ''frío'' is Spanish for ''cold'', a clear reference to the spring-fed coolness of the river. Geography The Frio River has three primary tributaries; the East, West, and Dry Frio Ri ...

. Nothing came of this idea, and later in 1707 Alarcón authorized an expedition into Texas, primarily to dissuade the Indians in the area from becoming friendly with the French. The Spanish troops reached only as far as the Colorado River (Texas) o ''río San Marco'', but spent some time exploring the area around the

San Antonio River The San Antonio River is a major waterway that originates in central Texas in a cluster of springs in midtown San Antonio, about 4 miles north of downtown, and follows a roughly southeastern path through the state. It eventually feeds into the ...

; they were much impressed with the land and availability of water.Chipman (1992), p. 110.

Second term

In early 1716, the Spanish government authorized a second attempt to convert the

Hasinai The Hasinai Confederacy ( Caddo: ) was a large confederation of Caddo-speaking Native Americans who occupied territory between the Sabine and Trinity rivers in eastern Texas. Today, their descendants are enrolled in the Caddo Nation of Oklahoma ...

tribe of East Texas to Christianity.Chipman (1992), p. 111.Chipman (1992), p. 112. Four missions and a

presidio A presidio ( en, jail, fortification) was a fortified base established by the Spanish Empire around between 16th and 18th centuries in areas in condition of their control or influence. The presidios of Spanish Philippines in particular, were cen ...

were established. Several of the soldiers assigned to the presidio brought their families with them, marking the first Spanish women recorded to enter Texas.Weber (1992), p. 60. Later that year, Alarcón was re-appointed governor of Coahuila and Texas. He soon received word that the new missions were in dire straits, with extremely low levels of provisions. Their supplies must come from the nearest Spanish settlement, San Juan Bautista, located away.Chipman (1992), p. 113. Alarcón envisioned creating a way station between the interior provinces and the missions of Texas. He looked first to the headwaters of the San Antonio River, an area the Spanish had mapped in 1707. It was already home to a large community of

Coahuiltecan The Coahuiltecan were various small, autonomous bands of Native Americans who inhabited the Rio Grande valley in what is now southern Texas and northeastern Mexico. The various Coahuiltecan groups were hunter-gatherers. First encountered by Europ ...

s.Weber (1992), p. 163. As Alarcon journeyed to San Juan Bautista, the launching point for an attempt to resupply the missions, he received a letter from Father Olivares, alleging that Frenchman

Louis Juchereau de St. Denis Louis Antoine Juchereau de St. Denis (September 17, 1676 – June 11, 1744) was a French-Canadian soldier and explorer best known for his exploration and development of the Louisiana (New France) and Spanish Texas regions. He commanded a small gar ...

had established an illegal trade network along the Rio Grande. On his arrival at San Juan Bautista, Alarcon began an investigation of the allegations.Weddle (1967), p. 552. St. Denis was jailed during the four-month investigation, but Alarcon was unable to find proof that the presidial soldiers had–actively or passively–allowed illegal trade to flourish in the area. St. Denis was released from prison and fled back to Louisiana.Weddle (1967), p. 553. Map of Texas 1718

By the time the investigation ended, winter had begun, making it impractical for Alarcón to immediately proceed into Texas. On April 9, 1718, Alarcón headed an expedition to found a community in central Texas. He was accompanied by 72 people, including 10 families. They brought with them 548 horses, 6 droves of mules, and other livestock.

Founding of The Alamo and of San Antonio

On their arrival, the group first built a temporary structure to serve as a mission. The mission's founding document is dated May 1, 1718. Signed by Alarcón as "General of the Provinces of the Kingdom of the

New Philippines The New Philippines ( es, Nuevas Filipinas or ) was the abbreviated name of a territory in New Spain. Its full and official name was . The territory was named in honor of its sovereign, King Philip V of Spain. The ultimate demise of the New Phi ...

," it creates a new mission of San Antonio de Valero, to replace the old mission of St Joseph due to lack of water at the former site, and the new foundation is in the name of the Viceroy of New Spain, the Marquess of Valero. The mission would much later become a garrison and gain fame as The Alamo. One mile (two km) north of the mission, Alarcón built a presidio,

Presidio San Antonio de Bexar A presidio ( en, jail, fortification) was a fortified base established by the Spanish Empire around between 16th and 18th centuries in areas in condition of their control or influence. The presidios of Spanish Philippines in particular, were cen ...

.Chipman (1992), p. 117. Near the presidio, Alarcón chartered a new municipality, called Bejar (now known as

). Given a status higher than a village (''pueblo'') but lower than a city (''ciudad''), San Antonio became the only ''villa'' in Texas, and the colonists who settled there relied on farming and ranching to survive.

Further activities

With the new settlement established, Alarcón continued on to re-provision and inspect the East Texas missions.Chipman (1992), p. 118. Besides replenishing mission supplies, Alarcón was tasked with resettling the Indians in villages near the missions,Buckley (1911), p. 2. and wished to investigate whether the Spanish in East Texas were illegally trading with the French at nearby Natchitoches. The missionaries were becoming increasingly desperate as they waited for Alarcón to arrive. They appointed two members, representing both the missionary schools of Querétaro and

Zacatecas , image_map = Zacatecas in Mexico (location map scheme).svg , map_caption = State of Zacatecas within Mexico , coordinates = , coor_pinpoint = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type ...

, to carry a personal appeal to Spanish authorities in Mexico City.Buckley (1911), p. 7. Their missive not only detailed the deprivations they had endured and the perceived slowness of Alarcón's response, but also mentioned their fear that France would soon extend their settlements into Texas.Buckley (1911), p. 8. While visiting the existing missions, Alarcón ordered that a new mission be established for the

Nassoni The Nasoni are a Native American tribe from eastern Texas and southwestern Arkansas. History The Nasoni were divided into two bands. The Upper Nasoni, who lived along the Red River in the southwestern corner of Arkansas.Bernard de la Harpe Bernard (''Bernhard'') is a French and West Germanic masculine given name. It is also a surname. The name is attested from at least the 9th century. West Germanic ''Bernhard'' is composed from the two elements ''bern'' "bear" and ''hard'' "brav ...

.Cox (1906), p. 11. La Harpe had just established a trading post within Nassoni territory (now part of

Oklahoma Oklahoma (; Choctaw language, Choctaw: ; chr, ᎣᎧᎳᎰᎹ, ''Okalahoma'' ) is a U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States, bordered by Texas on the south and west, Kansas on the nor ...

). In a series of letters, Alarcón and la Harpe set out their positions for the boundaries between the territory of the two nations. Alarcón maintained that the area la Harpe had settled was in fact part of Spanish New Mexico, while la Harpe responded that all of Texas should belong to the French. Although la Harpe challenged Alarcón to remove the French trading post, Alarcon made no attempt to do so.Cox (1906), p. 12. In late May 1719, Alarcón and his men began their return trip to the Mexican interior. Between the Brazos River and the

Colorado River The Colorado River ( es, Río Colorado) is one of the principal rivers (along with the Rio Grande) in the Southwestern United States and northern Mexico. The river drains an expansive, arid drainage basin, watershed that encompasses parts of ...

Alarcón encountered the Rancheria Grande which was the home to

Yojuane The Yojuane were a people who lived in Texas in the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries. They were closely associated with the Jumano and may have also been related to the Tonkawa. They have no connection to the Yowani in Texas, a Choctaw band. Etym ...

Ervipiame The Ervipiame or Hierbipiame were a Native people of modern Coahuila and Texas. Beginning in the 16th century Spanish settlement in what is today Northern Mexico and the accompanying diseases and slave raiding to supply ranches and mines with Nativ ...

Jumano Jumanos were a tribe or several tribes, who inhabited a large area of western Texas, New Mexico, and northern Mexico, especially near the Junta de los Rios region with its large settled Indigenous population. They lived in the Big Bend area in ...

Mayeye The Mayeye were a Tonkawa language–speaking Native American people, who once lived in southeastern Texas. Coastal Mayeyes likely were absorbed into Karankawa communities. Inland Mayeyes likely joined larger Tonkawa communities. Name Their nam ...

and several other allied Native American groups. While traveling through the Rancheria Grande Alarcón attempted to set up easy trading with the people of the Rancheria by designating

El Cuilón El Cuilón, also known as Juan Rodrguez (born about 1680) was a leader of the Ervipiame The Ervipiame or Hierbipiame were a Native people of modern Coahuila and Texas. Beginning in the 16th century Spanish settlement in what is today Northern Mexic ...

, who he called Juan Rodriguez, a prominent Ervipiame, as the chief of the Rancheria and giving him the baton to designate him as a commander. While Alarcón and associates were en route, a group of French soldiers took control of the mission of San Miguel de los Adeas from its sole defender, The French soldiers explained that 100 additional soldiers were coming, and the Spanish colonists, missionaries, and remaining soldiers abandoned the area and fled to San Antonio.Weber (1992), p. 166–7. The missionaries sent a scathing letter to the viceroy, blaming Alarcón for their difficulties and the French usurpation of their post.Buckley (1911), p. 13. On December 19, 1719, Alarcón was removed from office.Buckley (1911), p. 21.

Footnotes

References

* * * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Alarcon, Martin De Governors of Coahuila Governors of Spanish Texas 1700s in Mexico 1710s in Mexico 1700s in Texas 1710s in Texas Year of death unknown Year of birth unknown