WI: Ajacan was successful?

A subject that appears to be one that is not often discussed here on AH.com is the Ajacán mission. As a matter of fact, I have only found one thread with any mention of it. After speaking to some individuals who work at Jamestown and people who were somewhat familiar with the subject, I decided to look more into it. Outposts had been set up by the Spanish in the area of Georgia and the Carolinas prior to Ajacán but they would eventually be destroyed. There have be various reports about the location of the mission but it was definitely near the Chesapeake Bay.

The drought that had occurred in that region around the time of Ajacán's establishment is an important factor to consider in regard to its survival. However, what else would be needed in order for the Spanish to have a successful mission and possible settlement at Ajacán? If successful, what influence will this success have upon other nations that will eventually be involved in colonization?
 
I can't help but think that Ajacan's fate would've been to be swept away by English colonialism, though it would've severely hampered English efforts in the South.

Ajacan's success would be similar to the Virginia colony's economic success--tobacco. It's just you need to get those mission Indians to farm tobacco. If you can't, then I don't see Spain being very successful in either short or long term. It's another Florida, basically. Unlike in Latin America, the societal structures of the local Indians were not conducive to the model of Spanish colonialism, and they didn't even have the justification of "this colony is here to defend our mines" like New Mexico and Texas were. Or perhaps Spain finds the gold in Georgia/Carolinas, sets up shop there, and Ajacan exists as a buffer against intruders from the north, be they indigenous, English, French, whoever.

Some sources put the Ajacan site within the range of the yaupon holly, and perhaps you could have like Paraguay and yerba mate (yaupon's relative) for your economic possibilities. It still isn't much (the Carolinas have far more range for yaupon, among other things), and really, Ajacan seems doomed to be a periphery to other Spanish colonies, like in the Carolinas.

I have to add that it's very odd that Ajacan (along with everything Spain did north of Florida aside from the De Soto expedition) is such an obscure topic.
 
So obscure it is that I had no idea what you were talking about and know nothing you don't bring up here. Other Spanish activity north of St. Augustine? Never hear of any, other that some coastwise trade.
 
No interest in possible Spanish success further north on the east coast of North America?

Lots of interest, but no knowledge to usefully contribute

I do know that the Spanish had parties which went up into Mississippi (Cahokia) so the idea of them going further North is not outrageous. Also, IIRC these areas of the East coast saw Danish, Swedish and of course Dutch settlement as well as British so there's no logical reason to exclude a potential Spanish enclave, even if the British did manage to create Jamestown in this TL
 
So obscure it is that I had no idea what you were talking about and know nothing you don't bring up here. Other Spanish activity north of St. Augustine? Never hear of any, other that some coastwise trade.

They had attempts at missions in the Carolinas as well as several people exploring the back country there pre-1600 but post de Soto--Ajacan was just the northernmost extension. Any success of Ajacan thus depends on the success of Spanish Carolina, at least initially (hell, it could even be called Carolina still, just name it for Charles V or any of the Spanish princes of the same name). Later on, Ajacan could be useful as a borderland settlement between Spain and whoever's north (probably the English).
 
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