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Having grown up in the Pacific Northwest, I was always intrigued why there were so many Spanish place/street names. As it turns out, in the last few decades of the 18th century, Spain was quite active in exploring the region; navigators got as far as Alaska. They even established a small settlement and fort on what is now Vancouver Island.
But following a diplomatic spat with Britain (see: the Nootka Crisis) in the 1790s, and with its imperial power fading, Spain essentially abandoned the northwest by the end of the century. The region would become dominated by Britain, and later the US (who gained Spain's 'rights' via treaty in 1819), setting up the geopolitical situation we have today.
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For the sake of AH, I'm thinking of a timeline in which Spain maintains a presence in the PNW. As a remote and undeveloped colony, I can't see it following most of Spain's American possessions in revolting against colonial rule in the early 19th century. Britain would remain a challenger, particularly over the fur trade/the Northwest Passage. The U.S. was also rising (see: the Oregon boundary dispute/Manifest Destiny in the 1840s), and believe it or not Russia was a player.
There's lots of places this could go, but I think it's an interesting scenario for those who'd like to see the Spanish Empire hold out in mainland North America.
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Much of Part I is an OTL recap of Spanish activity in the region. A lot is guys sailing and exploring without a lot of big developments. Some of it is blatant wankery over the naming of geography.
But some of it, including the POD, is very relevant to TTL.
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Part I: 1774-1793 (Early expeditions and establishment, up to the outbreak of war in Europe)
- 1774: the José Pérez Hernández expedition. In June, he reached Islas Jaidas; but poor provisions forced the expedition to turn back. On 7 August, Hernández reached Nutca Sound on southwest Quadra Island [OTL Vancouver Island], where the first trade between the Spanish and indigenous people in the northwest was conducted. The crew also sighted Cerro de Santa Rosalía [OTL Mount Olympus, Washington].
- 1775: the Bruno de Heceta & Juan Francisco de la Bodega y Quadra expedition. They find the mouth of the Columbia River (without entering it). Bodega y Quadra, who led the expedition past Punta de los Martires [Point Grenville, Washington], discovered/named Bucareli Bay and Monte San Jacinto [OTL Alaska]. He got as far north as Susto Sound [Sitka Sound].
- March-April, 1778: James Cook, in search of the Northwest Passage, arrived in the region. He landed at Nutca Sound and acquired sea otter pelts, which ended up turning an enormous profit in Macau. This marked the start of British commercial activity in the PNW, and an influx of fur traders followed.
- 1779: Another expedition by Bodega y Quadra, with Ignacio de Arteaga, continued to explore Alaska. On 2 August, a possession ceremony was performed at the southwest tip of the Kenai Peninsula [Port Chatham, AK].
- 1779-83: Spanish exploration of the Pacific Northwest is stalled due to war with Britain, in the context of the American Revolutionary War.
- POD: 1786/7: British navigator and explorer John Meares is forced to spend the winter in Prince William Sound, Alaska. Poor provisions and weather take its toll on the crew, with most (including Meares) dying of scurvy before the arrival of Captain George Dixon.
- 1788: the Esteban José Martínez & Gonzalo López de Haro expedition. They reached Alaska's Kodiak Island, where they encountered a Russian post. The Russians provided a map of their Alaskan posts and coastal surveys, informing the Spanish of their intention to occupy Nutca Sound much further south. The Spanish ships went as far west as Unalaska Island in the Aleutians.
- 5 May, 1789: On the orders of the Viceroy of New Spain (Manuel Antonio Flores), Esteban José Martínez arrived in Nutca Sound and established a settlement: Santa Cruz de Nutca, along with Fort San Miguel. However, the Spanish encountered both American and British merchant vessels in the harbour. In response, Martínez staged an elaborate ceremony to demonstrate Spain's possession of the area...which entailed seizing said ships. Missing are the ship belonging to a company Meares would form in 1788/9, which were seized by the Spanish IOTL, leading to the Nootka Crisis that spelled the end of Spain's presence in the region.
- 1789: the José María Narváez expedition. He sailed into the Strait of Juan de Fuca, which was believed by some to be the Northwest Passage; and recommended Porto San Juan [Port Renfrew, B.C.] as a good anchorage in that waterway.
- 17 October, 1789: a new Viceroy takes charge in Mexico City: Juan Vicent de Güemes. With the conflicting interest of several European powers, and the potential to find the fabled Northwest Passage, he is very interested in northern expansion. A competent administrator, Güemes almost immediately sent ships to reinforce the newfound settlement of Nutca.
- 4 April, 1790: Francisco de Eliza arrives in Nutca, relieving the often malcontent Martínez of his position as commandant of Santa Cruz de Nutca. This would prove a good decision by the Viceroy, as Eliza was far more pragmatic in dealing with the constant appearance of Anglo-American trading ships, and indigenous people. He also brought with him soldiers of the Free Company of Volunteers of Catalonia, under Pedro de Alberni, to man Fort San Miguel.
- 1790: the Salvador Fidalgo expedition. In Alaska, he noted several Russian posts, and performed acts of sovereignty in Valdez and Cordova.
- the Manuel Quimper expedition was sent east with Haro, into the Strait of Juan de Fuca: they were the first Europeans to reach numerous places along the coast between future Victória and Tofino, and charted the San Juan Islands. Quimper also noted numerous places on the north coast of the Olympic Peninsula; traded with the S'Klallam natives; was attacked by the Lummi near OTL Bellingham, and noted La Gran Montaña Carmelita [Mount Baker, WA].
- 4 May, 1791: the Eliza & Narváez expedition. Charted the inner channels of Boca Clayucuat [Clayoquot Sound] and Boca Carrasco [Barkley Sound]. The area was home to a handful of large indigenous settlements, whose inhabitants attacked Narváez's ship on multiple occasions. Despite these difficulties, Eliza was honoured by over 600 Tla-o-qui-aht dancers at the behest of Chief Wickaninnish. Porto Angeles [Port Angeles, WA], on the north side of the Olympic Peninsula, was noted as a good anchorage.
- June/July 1791: The Eliza-Narváez expedition enters the OTL Strait of Georgia, becoming the first Europeans to do so. It was named the Canal de Rosario. Narváez would end up anchoring at Punta Langara [OTL Point Grey], thinking it was an island. There, he met Musqueam men in canoes eager to trade; he noted they spoke a language quite different from the familiar Nutca/Nuu-chah-nulth, and had numerous villages in the area. These natives provided insight into the northward extent of the 'canal', and to the fact that visiting natives from the northeast had horses. Narváez sailed into OTL Burrard Inlet, the entrance of the Bocas del Carmelo [Howe Sound], Bocas de Winthuysen [Nanaimo harbour], and several islands as far north as the OTL Sunshine Coast.
- Upon their reunion in Porto de Quadra [Discovery Bay, WA], Eliza is impressed with Narváez's findings: due to the larger presence of whales in the the canal, Eliza deduces that there must be a northward connection to the ocean. Thus, Nutca is not on the mainland, but on an island! They also made note of freshwater around the heavily Musqueam area: this was the OTL Fraser Delta. Narváez mentioned a promising waterway (the Admiralty Inlet; the entrance of Puget Sound) he wanted to explore on his return voyage. However, Eliza and many of his sailors were sick, and wanted to return to Nutca. He decided to do so with Narváez's subordinate ship (under Juan Carrasco), and the budding navigator was allowed explore further.
- August 1791: A restocked Narváez, only 23 years old, returns to Puget Sound. He conducted a survey of the area; deducing it is a bay with no other connection to the ocean, he named it Ensenada d'Eliza after his commander who showed so much faith in him. With clear skies, he also spotted a notable mountain: Montaña de San Carlos [OTL Mount Rainier], named after his ship at the time.
- 1791/2: the worldwide Alessandro Malaspina expedition reaches the Pacific Northwest. In search of the Northwest Passage, he surveyed the coast of Alaska and made contact with the Tlingit people at Yakutat Bay. Malaspina then spent a month in Nutca, which was carefully mapped and surveyed. The expedition also engaged with the Nuu-chah-nulth people. After weeks of negotiations, Chief Maquinna agreed to recognize Spanish ownership of the land they occupied; a milestone in Spain's claims of sovereignty.
- 28 May, 1792: Salvador Fidalgo lands at Núñez Gaona [OTL Neah Bay, WA] with orders to establish a settlement and give Spain a foothold on the other side of the Juan de Fuca. It quickly grew to include a garden, livestock, and a small garrison. However, the following autumn, conflict with the local Makah people broke out. After many casualties, Fidalgo was reprimanded and recalled to Nutca. The second Spanish settlement in the PNW was soon relocated a bit to the east, at Porto Angeles. There, the S'Klallam were more open to trade.
- Summer, 1792: The worldwide expedition of George Vancouver reaches the PNW. In the Strait of Georgia, it came in contact with several Spanish ships. The two sides collaborated in exploring and mapping the area. Vancouver's survey of the region was well-regarded by the Spanish; Quadra Island was originally named Vancouver & Quadra Island after the two legendary navigators met. However, due to British claims in the PNW, the name was later changed.
- 1792: Francisco Antonio Mourelle is passed over command of the Mexicana by Malaspina on what would become the Galiano-Valdés expedition. This is in spite of his range of experience in navigating the PNW. After much protest, and with few ships available, Mourelle is given a smaller vessel and orders make a detailed survey and trade with natives behind the main fleet. He concentrated on the southeast tip of Quadra Island [the Saanich Peninsula], meeting the Songhees and Saanich people. Mourelle's report warned of vigorous winds, but found the climate much milder ('almost Mediterranean') than the island's west coast. A botanist on board made note of the many madroñas (arbutus trees), and claims the area would be suitable for agriculture. As the region's existing resources are limited to furs and timber, this report excited officials in Mexico City.
- 1792: the Alcalá Galiano & Cayetano Valdés y Flores expedition circumnavigated Quadra Island for the first time. The lead ship would lend its name to the Sutil Passage and Islands [OTL Discovery Passage and Islands]. They encountered the Vancouver Expedition off Punta Cepeda [OTL Point Roberts, WA] and informed him of the Spanish survey in Ensenada d'Eliza. Vancouver would go into the sound himself and take a more detailed look.
- On 14 June, informed by the deductions of Eliza and Narváez, the Spanish entered the Rio Estólo [OTL Fraser River], becoming the first Europeans to do so. On 8 September, they spot the Columbia River: Galiano does not feel the ships are up to the task of entering it, but does determine its location and characteristics (i.e. a river, not a strait).
- 13 June-7 September, 1792: the Jacinto Caamaño expedition sails as north as Bucarelli Bay. Much of the OTL North Coast of B.C. is mapped and surveyed; as is OTL Prince of Wales Island in Alaska, which is named Isla Aránzazu after the expedition's frigate.
- 1793: the Eliza and Juan Martínez y Zayas expedition survey sthe coast between the Strait of Juan de Fuca and San Francisco Bay. They passed the mouth of the Columbia River, which they cross-referenced with the Galiano-Valdés expedition from the year prior. The Spanish go about 70 kilometres upstream, and found the river promising in regards to future exploration. The typical 'acts of sovereignty' are performed; but by this point, the Columbia was already known to both the American and British (who made formal claims under William Robert Broughton in October 1792): it would be a point of heated contention in the future.
- February 1793: Following the execution of Louis XVI, and the alienation of virtually all of Europe, France declares war on Spain during the War of the First Coalition. This puts large-scale expeditions of all sorts to a halt, as resources are diverted to war.