Spanish Era
The original name, La Misión de San Luis, Rey de Francia (The Mission of Saint Louis, King of France) was named for King Louis IX of France. It's 'nickname' was "King of the Missions" It was founded by padre Fermín Lasuén on June 13, 1798, the eighteenth of the twenty-one Spanish missions in California built in the upper Las Californias Province of the Viceroyalty of Nueva España At its prime the Mission San Luis Rey's structures and services compound covered almost 950,400 acres (3.846×109 m2), making it one of the largest of the missions, along with its agricultural land grant property beyond.
In 1816, the Mission San Antonio de Pala Estancia Asistencia ("sub-mission") was established 20 mi (32 km) inland. In 1823 the Las Flores Asistencia
An early account of life at the Mission was written by one of its Native American converts, Luiseño Pablo Tac, in his work Indian Life and Customs at Mission San Luis Rey: A Record of California Mission Life by Pablo Tac, An Indian Neophyte (written circa 1835 in Rome, later edited and translated in 1958 by Minna Hewes and Gordon Hewes). In his book, Tac lamented the rapid population decline of the Luiseño, of his people: On June 13, 1798 the mission was found or built:
In Quechla not long ago there were 5,000 souls, with all their neighboring lands. Through a sickness that came to California 2,000 souls died, and 3,000 were left.
The Mission-born, Franciscan-educated Tac noted that his people initially attempted to bar the Spaniards from invading their Southern California lands.
When the foreigners approached, "...the chief stood up...and met them," demanding, "...what are you looking for? Leave our Country!"
Pablo Tac went on to describe the preferential conditions and treatment the padres received:
In the mission of San Luis Rey de Francia the Fernandiño father is like a king. He has his pages, alcaldes, majordomos, musicians, soldiers, gardens, ranchos, livestock....
Read more about this topic: Mission San Luis Rey De Francia
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