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Kingdom of California (Development of..)

One of the greatest impacts on California was the decision by King Charles III to finally cement the Spanish Claim to Alta California in 1762. It was decided that a two fold approach to the settlement of California would take place. To cement ecclesiastical control over the local inhabitants, missions would be established throughout the province. To provide for a further rapid settlement of the territory, California would be established a place of exile/prison for prisoners from Spain and Spanish Territories in the Americas. Once the sentence of a prisoner was worked off he would have an initial period of indenture on a "California Ranchero or Plantation" and then would be offered a small plot of land to subsist off of exile to California was a life sentence. To oversee these plantations both lesser sons of nobles from Spain and Creoles of sufficient rank would be granted holdings in the Californias. Further exploration of Alta California in 1768 brought back reports of a "fertile land in the northern and central portions of the Province of Alta California." Over the next 20 years the "Dons" and Missions of California would come to hold vast tracts of land that where larger than some kingdoms in Europe. California by the time of King Charles abdication was becoming an increasingly more "settled province" and very distinct from the Viceroyalty that supposedly ruled over it. In 1788 King Charles IV came to the throne of Spain, one of his more grandiose schemes were the redrawing of New Spain into more easily managed Vice Royalties. The Viceroyalty of New Spain was cut up literally into the Vice Royalties of New Spain (Central and Southern Mexico), the Viceroyalty of California, Vice Royalty of New Galicia (Central America), and the Vice Royalty of Monterey (Northern Mexico, Texas and North American holdings west of California.) From 1788-1820 the Viceroyalty of California continued to receive both the misfits of the Spanish Empire and those lesser nobles and creoles who sought an opportunity to build a new empire. Among them was a 16 year old Agustin Irbutide who in 1799 received a land grant just north of San Diego. Irbutide would rarely visit this estate but would go on to serve in the Army of the Vice Royalty of New Spain eventually becoming a Colonel. Here he would make his greatest distinction... Eventually finagling for himself an Imperial Crown of Mexico in 1820. However the Mexican Revolution would not long put up with exchanging one Royal in Spain for another Sitting in Mexico City. Under Iturbide however Mexico would grow after annexing the Viceroyalties of California, Monterey, and New Galicia (None of which she would retain for any length of time....)

The Empire of Mexico, ironic isn’t it.. Agustin Iturbide was for a brief moment in history ruler of an Empire that stretched from the shores of California to the modern day southern borders of the Mexican Republic. Many ask the question, what if the former Emperor instead of being sentenced to exile in California had sailed for Europe. Could he have helped Spain retake Mexico instead of the “Reconquista” ending with the exiling of the plotters and most Mexican Creole families to the frontiers of California?

General Santa Ana instead of trying to maintain control over the former Northern Viceroyalties sought to re-establish his hold on the former provinces of New Galicia. That decision would lead to nearly 20 years of internal strife before the South was pacified and the stillborn Central American Republic died at the battle of San Jose. Mexico grew largely unconcerned with the Northern Territories infact they invited foreigners to settle the largely wilderness areas of the North. All to keep the growing United States at bay. American Settlers would soon lead first the Republic of Texas out of the Mexican Union but eventually the Theocracy of Deseret and the Confederation of the Red River (Colorado Confederation). This would only be the beginning of the Mexican “Dismemberment” for it’s greatest mistake was yet to come. The Birth of the Kingdom of California, which cost Mexico it’s future…

The 1820’s and 30’s would lead to the creation of the modern North America of today but the greatest stories was the forging of North America’s only monarchy and Dynasty of Iturbide. A story that took a man from The Empire of Mexico, ironic isn’t it.. Agustin Iturbide was for a brief moment in history ruler of an Empire that stretched from the shores of California to the modern day southern borders of the Mexican Republic. Many ask the question, what if the former Emperor instead of being sentenced to exile in California had sailed for Europe. Could he have helped Spain retake Mexico instead of the “Reconquista” ending with the exiling of the plotters and most Mexican Creole families to the frontiers of California?
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