French Colonization of Texas

French Colonization Of Texas

From 1685 until 1688, a French colony, Fort Saint Louis, existed near what is now Inez, Texas, USA. Explorer Robert Cavelier de La Salle intended to found the colony at the mouth of the Mississippi River, but inaccurate maps and navigational errors caused his ships to instead anchor 400 miles (650 km) west, off the coast of Texas near Matagorda Bay.

The colony faced numerous difficulties during its brief existence, including hostile Native Americans, epidemics, and harsh conditions. Mindful of his original mission, La Salle led several expeditions to find the Mississippi River. These did not succeed; instead, La Salle explored much of the Rio Grande and parts of East Texas. During one of his absences in 1686 the colony's last ship was wrecked, leaving the colonists unable to obtain supplies from the French colonies in the Caribbean Sea. As conditions deteriorated, La Salle realized the colony could only survive with help from French settlements in Illinois Country. His last expedition ended along the Brazos River in early 1687 when La Salle and five of his men were murdered by rivals in the group. Although a handful of men reached Illinois, help never arrived. The remaining members of the colony were killed or captured during a Karankawa raid in late 1688. Although the colony lasted only three years, its existence established France's claim to possession of the region that is now Texas, and later supported the claim by the United States to the region as part of the Louisiana Purchase.

Spain learned of La Salle's mission in 1686. Concerned that the French colony could threaten Spain's control over New Spain and the southern portion of North America, Spanish authorities funded multiple expeditions to find and eliminate the settlement. The unsuccessful expeditions helped Spain to better understand the geography of the Gulf Coast region. When the Spanish finally discovered the remains of the French settlement in 1689, they buried the cannons and burned the buildings. Years later, Spanish authorities built a presidio at the same location. When the Spanish presidio ceased to exist, the site of the French settlement was forgotten. It was rediscovered in 1996, and the area is now an archaeological site.