Editing Spanish missions in California (section)

=== Coastal mission chain, planning and overview ===

Prior to 1754, grants of mission lands were made directly by the Spanish Crown. But, given the remote locations and the inherent difficulties in communicating with the territorial governments, he delegated authority to make grants to the viceroys of New Spain.<ref>Capron, p. 3</ref> During the reign of King [[Charles III of Spain|Charles III]], they granted lands to allow establishing the Alta California missions. They were motivated in part by presence of Russian fur traders along the California coast in the mid-1700s.<ref>[http://picturethis.museumca.org/timeline/early-california-pre-1769-1840s/russian-presence/info Early California ... Russian Presence] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161013055315/http://picturethis.museumca.org/timeline/early-california-pre-1769-1840s/russian-presence/info |date=2016-10-13 }} Oakland Museum of California website, downloaded Sept. 10, 2016</ref>

The missions were to be interconnected by an overland route which later became known as the [[El Camino Real (California)|Camino Real]]. The detailed planning and direction of the missions was to be carried out by Friar [[Junípero Serra]], O.F.M. (who, in 1767, along with his fellow [[priest]]s, had taken control over a group of missions in [[Baja California Peninsula]] previously administered by the Jesuits). After Serra's death, Rev. [[Fermin Lasuen|Fermín Francisco de Lasuén]] established nine more mission sites, from 1786 through 1798; others established the last three compounds, along with at least five ''asistencias'' (mission assistance outposts).<ref>Young, p. 17</ref>