▁of ▁the ▁Pope ▁and ▁had ▁established ▁a ▁chain ▁of ▁fifteen ▁miss ions ▁on ▁the ▁B aja ▁California ▁Pen ins ula . ▁Vis it ador ▁General ▁José ▁de ▁G ál vez ▁engaged ▁the ▁Francis c ans , ▁under ▁the ▁leadership ▁of ▁Fri ar ▁Jun í per o ▁Ser ra , ▁to ▁take ▁charge ▁of ▁those ▁out posts ▁on ▁March ▁ 1 2 , ▁ 1 7 6 8 . ▁The ▁pad res ▁closed ▁or ▁cons olid ated ▁several ▁of ▁the ▁existing ▁settlement s , ▁and ▁also ▁founded ▁M isión ▁San ▁Fernando ▁Rey ▁de ▁España ▁de ▁Vel ic at á ▁( the ▁only ▁Francis can ▁mission ▁in ▁all ▁of ▁B aja ▁California ) ▁and ▁the ▁nearby ▁Vis ita ▁de ▁la ▁Pres ent ación ▁in ▁ 1 7 6 9 . ▁This ▁plan , ▁however , ▁changed ▁within ▁a ▁few ▁months ▁after ▁G ál vez ▁received ▁the ▁following ▁orders : ▁" Occ up y ▁and ▁fort ify ▁San ▁Diego ▁and ▁Mon ter ey ▁for ▁God ▁and ▁the ▁King ▁of ▁Spain ." ▁The ▁Church ▁ordered ▁the ▁pri ests ▁of ▁the ▁Domin ican ▁Order ▁to ▁take ▁charge ▁of ▁the ▁B aja ▁California ▁miss ions ▁so ▁the ▁Francis c ans ▁could ▁concent rate ▁on ▁found ing ▁new ▁miss ions ▁in ▁Al ta ▁California . ▁ ▁Mission ▁period ▁( 1 7 6 9 – 1 8 3 3 ) ▁▁ ▁On ▁July ▁ 1 4 , ▁ 1 7 6 9 ▁G ál vez ▁sent ▁the ▁Port ol á ▁expedition ▁out ▁from ▁Lor eto ▁to ▁explore ▁lands ▁to ▁the ▁north