Martín de Alarcón
Encyclopedia
Martín de Alarcón was the governor of Spanish Texas
from 1705 until 1708, and again from 1716 until 1719. He founded San Antonio
, the first civilian settlement in Texas.
. The last of the original Catholic missions in East Texas
had been abandoned in 1699. The French had been establishing settlements west of the Mississippi River
, 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. Alarcón proposed that one of the missions along the Rio Grande
, Mission San Bernardo, be relocated into Texas, along the Frio River
. 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
, but spent some time exploring the area around the San Antonio River
; they were much impressed with the land and availability of water.
tribe of East Texas to Christianity. Four missions and a presidio
were established. Several of the soldiers assigned to the presidio brought their families with them, marking the first Spanish women recorded to enter Texas.
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 400 miles (644 km) away. 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
s.
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
had established an illegal trade network along the Rio Grande. On his arrival at San Juan Bautista, Alarcon began an investigation of the allegations. 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.
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. On their arrival, the group first built a temporary structure to serve as a mission, named San Antonio de Valero, which later gained fame as the Alamo
. One mile (two km) north of the mission, Alarcón built a presidio, Presidio San Antonio de Bexar
. Near the presidio, Alarcón chartered a new municipality, called Bejar (now known as San Antonio
). 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.
With the new settlement established, Alarcón continued on to re-provision and inspect the East Texas missions. Besides replenishing mission supplies, Alarcón was tasked with resettling the Indians in villages near the missions, 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
, to carry a personal appeal to Spanish authorities in Mexico City. 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.
While visiting the existing missions, Alarcón ordered that a new mission be established for the Nassoni people. Before his orders could be enacted, he received a letter from a French explorer, Bernard de la Harpe
. La Harpe had just established a trading post within Nassoni territory (now part of Oklahoma
). 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.
In late May 1719, Alarcón and his men began their return trip to the Mexican interior. While they 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. The missionaries sent a scathing letter to the viceroy, blaming Alarcón for their difficulties and the French usurpation of their post. On December 19, 1719, Alarcón was removed from office.
Spanish Texas
Spanish Texas was one of the interior provinces of New Spain from 1690 until 1821. Although Spain claimed ownership of the territory, which comprised part of modern-day Texas, including the land north of the Medina and Nueces Rivers, the Spanish did not attempt to colonize the area until after...
from 1705 until 1708, and again from 1716 until 1719. He founded San Antonio
San Antonio, Texas
San Antonio is the seventh-largest city in the United States of America and the second-largest city within the state of Texas, with a population of 1.33 million. Located in the American Southwest and the south–central part of Texas, the city serves as the seat of Bexar County. In 2011,...
, the first civilian settlement in Texas.
First term
Alarcón was first appointed governor of the Spanish provinces of Coahuila and Texas in 1705. At this time, no Spanish settlements existed in TexasSpanish Texas
Spanish Texas was one of the interior provinces of New Spain from 1690 until 1821. Although Spain claimed ownership of the territory, which comprised part of modern-day Texas, including the land north of the Medina and Nueces Rivers, the Spanish did not attempt to colonize the area until after...
. The last of the original Catholic missions in East Texas
East Texas
East Texas is a distinct geographic and ecological area in the U.S. state of Texas.According to the Handbook of Texas, the East Texas area "may be separated from the rest of Texas roughly by a line extending from the Red River in north central Lamar County southwestward to east central Limestone...
had been abandoned in 1699. The French had been establishing settlements west of the Mississippi River
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
, 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. Alarcón proposed that one of the missions along the Rio Grande
Rio Grande
The Rio Grande is a river that flows from southwestern Colorado in the United States to the Gulf of Mexico. Along the way it forms part of the Mexico – United States border. Its length varies as its course changes...
, Mission San Bernardo, be relocated into Texas, along the Frio River
Frio River
The Frio River is a river in the U.S. state of Texas. The word frio is Spanish for cold, a clear reference to the spring-fed coolness of the river.-Geography:The Frio River has three primary feeds; the East, West, and Dry Frio rivers...
. 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
Colorado River
The Colorado River , is a river in the Southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico, approximately long, draining a part of the arid regions on the western slope of the Rocky Mountains. The watershed of the Colorado River covers in parts of seven U.S. states and two Mexican states...
, but spent some time exploring the area around the San Antonio River
San Antonio River
The San Antonio River is a major waterway that originates in central Texas in a cluster of springs in north central San Antonio, approximately four miles north of downtown, and follows a roughly southeastern path through the state. It eventually feeds into the Guadalupe River about ten miles from...
; they were much impressed with the land and availability of water.
Second term
In early 1716, the Spanish government authorized a second attempt to convert the HasinaiHasinai
The Hasinai Confederacy was a large confederation of Caddo-speaking Native Americans located between the Sabine and Trinity rivers in eastern Texas...
tribe of East Texas to Christianity. Four missions and a presidio
Presidio
A presidio is a fortified base established by the Spanish in North America between the sixteenth and nineteenth centuries. The fortresses were built to protect against pirates, hostile native Americans and enemy colonists. Other presidios were held by Spain in the sixteenth and seventeenth...
were established. Several of the soldiers assigned to the presidio brought their families with them, marking the first Spanish women recorded to enter Texas.
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
San Juan Bautista
San Juan Bautista is:* The Spanish-language name of Saint John the Baptist. See also the disambiguation page at San Juan. The name also may appear as a Spanish translation of the French Jean-Baptiste.As a toponym, San Juan Bautista may refer to:...
, located 400 miles (644 km) away. 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
Coahuiltecan
Coahuiltecan or Paikawa was a proposed language family in John Wesley Powell's 1891 classification of Native American languages that consisted of Coahuilteco and Cotoname. The proposal was expanded to include Comecrudo, Karankawa, and Tonkawa...
s.
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 Juchereau de St. Denis
Louis Antoine Juchereau de St. Denis was born in Beauport, New France to Nicolas Juchereau and Marie Thérèse Giffard, the eleventh of twelve children. He was the grandson of Robert Giffard de Moncel, a surgeon who became a nobleman of New France. St...
had established an illegal trade network along the Rio Grande. On his arrival at San Juan Bautista, Alarcon began an investigation of the allegations. 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.
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. On their arrival, the group first built a temporary structure to serve as a mission, named San Antonio de Valero, which later gained fame as the Alamo
Alamo Mission in San Antonio
The Alamo, originally known as Mission San Antonio de Valero, is a former Roman Catholic mission and fortress compound, site of the Battle of the Alamo in 1836, and now a museum, in San Antonio, Texas....
. One mile (two km) north of the mission, Alarcón built a presidio, Presidio San Antonio de Bexar
Presidio San Antonio de Bexar
Presidio San Antonio de Béxar was a Spanish fort built near the San Antonio River, located in what is now San Antonio, Texas. It was designed for protection of the mission system and civil settlement in central Texas...
. Near the presidio, Alarcón chartered a new municipality, called Bejar (now known as San Antonio
San Antonio, Texas
San Antonio is the seventh-largest city in the United States of America and the second-largest city within the state of Texas, with a population of 1.33 million. Located in the American Southwest and the south–central part of Texas, the city serves as the seat of Bexar County. In 2011,...
). 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.
With the new settlement established, Alarcón continued on to re-provision and inspect the East Texas missions. Besides replenishing mission supplies, Alarcón was tasked with resettling the Indians in villages near the missions, 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
College of Santa Cruz de Querétaro
The College of Santa Cruz de Querétaro was the first missionary college, or seminary , in the New World to train missionaries. One of its founders was Father Damián Massanet. The college, founded in the latter 1600s, was located in Spanish colonial Viceroyalty of New Spain, in present day...
and Zacatecas
College of Guadalupe de Zacatecas
The College of Guadalupe de Zacatecas was a Roman Catholic Franciscan missionary college, or seminary , founded in Guadalupe, Zacatecas by the Order of Friars Minor between 1703-1707...
, to carry a personal appeal to Spanish authorities in Mexico City. 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.
While visiting the existing missions, Alarcón ordered that a new mission be established for the Nassoni people. Before his orders could be enacted, he received a letter from a French explorer, Bernard de la Harpe
Bernard de la Harpe
Bernard de la Harpe or Jean-Baptiste Bénard de la Harpe was a French explorer who is credited with the discovery of Little Rock, Arkansas. In 1722, la Harpe found two distinct rock formations on the Arkansas River, the smaller one the South bank he named La Petite Roche and the larger on the North...
. La Harpe had just established a trading post within Nassoni territory (now part of Oklahoma
Oklahoma
Oklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
). 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.
In late May 1719, Alarcón and his men began their return trip to the Mexican interior. While they 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. The missionaries sent a scathing letter to the viceroy, blaming Alarcón for their difficulties and the French usurpation of their post. On December 19, 1719, Alarcón was removed from office.