44 Facts About Spanish Texas

Spanish Texas was one of the interior provinces of the colonial Viceroyalty of New Spain from 1690 until 1821.

The easternmost Spanish Texas settlements were disbanded, with the population relocating to San Antonio.

The Spanish responded brutally, and by 1820 fewer than 2000 Hispanic citizens remained in Texas.

The Spanish Texas provided the names for many of the rivers, towns, and counties that currently exist, and Spanish Texas architectural concepts still flourish.

Spanish Texas was a colonial province within the northeastern mainland region of the Viceroyalty of New Spain.

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In 1685, the Spanish Texas learned that France had established a colony in the area between New Spain and Florida.

The Spanish Texas government was convinced that the destruction of the French fort was "proof of God's 'divine aid and favor'".

Spanish Texas's expedition reached only as far as the Colorado River and turned around after learning that the Tejas chief was still unhappy with the Spanish.

In 1711, Franciscan missionary Francisco Hidalgo, who had served in the earlier Spanish Texas missions, wanted to reestablish missions with the Caddos.

The Spanish Texas government was unwilling to provide the funding and troops for the project, so Hidalgo approached the French governor of Louisiana, Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac for help.

Spanish Texas sent Louis Juchereau de St Denis, along with brothers Pierre and Robert Talon, who, as children, had been spared at the massacre of Fort Saint Louis, to find Hidalgo and offer assistance.

The Spanish recognized that the French could become a threat to other Spanish areas, and ordered the reoccupation of Texas as a buffer between French settlements in Louisiana and New Spain.

The Spanish Texas countered by founding two more missions just west of Natchitoches, San Miguel de los Adaes and Dolores de los Ais.

The six East Spanish Texas missions were reopened, and Presidio Dolores, now known as Presidio de los Tejas, was moved from the Neches River to a site near mission Purisima Concepcion near the Angelina River.

In retaliation, the Spanish Texas launched multiple attacks on the Apaches, capturing horses and mules, hides and other plunder, and taking Apache captives, whom the Spanish Texas used as household servants.

Spanish Texas government believed that settlers would defend their property, alleviating the need for some of the presidios.

Spanish Texas was an unappealing prospect for most settlers due to the armed nomadic tribes, high costs, and lack of precious metals.

The Spanish Texas promised to provide military assistance to the Apache.

Spanish Texas government refused to abandon the area completely out of fear that such an action would make them appear weak.

Eight years later, the Spanish Texas learned of rumors that the French had opened a trading post at the mouth of the Trinity River.

Spanish Texas recommended that only the presidios at San Antonio and La Bahia be maintained, and that East Texas be totally abandoned, with all population moving to San Antonio.

Spanish Texas's expedition did discover that the San Jacinto River emptied into Galveston Bay and not into the Gulf of Mexico.

Spanish Texas led an expedition to find the Englishmen, but, although they discovered the fields, the expedition did not find any of the settlers.

Spanish Texas's administration attempted to build alliances with native troops, and planned to work with the Comanche and the Wichita to wipe out the Apache raiders.

Spanish Texas's policies were never implemented, as Spain did not have the money to provide gifts such as those to the tribes.

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In 1796, Spanish Texas officials began an attempt to have the Apache and Comanche coexist in peace, and over the next ten years the intertribal fighting declined.

Spanish Texas government believed that security would come with a larger population, but was unable to attract colonists from Spain or from other New World colonies.

Over two-thirds of the adults in Spanish Texas were married, and single men outnumbered single women, although there was a high percentage of widows.

Spanish Texas was again considered a buffer province, this time between New Spain and the United States.

The responsibility for defending Spanish Texas now rested with Nemesio Salcedo, who held the newly reopened position of Commandant General of the Internal Provinces.

Spanish Texas's glowing comments about Texas lands and animals made many Americans yearn to control the territory.

Spanish Texas was forced to change his mind in 1820 as the only way to avert a military coup.

Spanish Texas forces recaptured the province later that year at the Battle of Medina, and killed 1300 and executed any Tejanos accused of having Republican tendencies.

The official boundary of Spanish Texas was set at the Sabine River, then following the Red and Arkansas Rivers to the 42nd parallel .

An essay in the City of Washington Gazette denounced the treaty, claiming that "'a league'" of the land in Spanish Texas was worth more to the United States "'than the whole territory west of the Rocky Mountains'".

Spanish Texas declared Texas an independent republic, but by the end of the year his rebellion had been quelled by Colonel Juan Ignacio Perez and his Spanish troops.

Spanish Texas became a part of the newly independent nation without a shot being fired.

The Spanish Texas missions built in San Antonio to convert Indians to Catholicism have been restored and are a National Historic Landmark.

Some livestock strayed or stayed behind when the Spanish Texas retreated from the territory in 1693, allowing the Indian tribes to begin loosely managing herds of the animals.

Spanish Texas farmers introduced tilling and irrigation to the land, further changing the landscape.

Spanish Texas implemented the first homestead exemption in the United States in 1839, and its property exemption laws are now the most liberal state in the United States.

Furthermore, Spanish law maintained that both husband and wife should share equally in the profits of marriage, and, like many other former Spanish provinces, Texas retained the idea of community property rather than use the Anglo laws in which all property belonged to the husband.

Furthermore, Spanish Texas law allowed an independent executor to be named in probate cases who is not required to gain court permission for each act not explicitly listed in the testament.

Spanish Texas retained this idea, and it has eventually spread to other states, included Arizona, Washington, and Idaho.