La Toma (Spanish: The taking) was a significant legal declaration made by Don Juan de Oñate on April 30, 1598.
This event marked the formal assertion of Spanish sovereignty over the territories north of the Rio Grande, in present-day Texas, and laid the groundwork for the colonization of New Mexico.
His ambitions led him to seek permission from the Spanish crown to explore and settle new territories in North America, which he received in 1595 from Viceroy Luis de Velasco.
[3] Oñate's proclamation included a solemn oath that he would govern these territories with "peace, friendship, and Christianity," emphasizing his intention to convert indigenous peoples to Catholicism while asserting Spanish dominion over their lands.
His governance style came under scrutiny due to reports of violence and oppression against indigenous communities, culminating in his eventual banishment from New Mexico by the Spanish crown.