Marqués de Rubí

Cayetano Maria Pignatelli Rubí Corbera y San Climent (c. 1725 - 1795 or 1796) was a Spanish nobleman. Rubí was commissioned by the King Charles III of Spain to inspect the presidios on the northern frontier of New Spain (present day Mexico, New Mexico, and Texas) and make recommendations to improve defense against raids by Indian tribes, especially the Apache. From 1766 to 1768, Rubí visited 23 (of 24) presidios scattered from the Gulf of California to present-day Louisiana, traveling overland about 7,600 miles (12,200 km) in 23 months. He wrote a report on his travels which is a valuable source of information about conditions on New Spain's northern frontier. His recommendations, later implemented, were that Spain withdraw from some presidios on its far northern frontier, including Louisiana and eastern Texas, and strengthen others which were in a poor state of readiness. He recommended that San Antonio replace Los Adaes as the capital of Spanish Texas. To combat the Indian threat, he recommended an offensive war against the Apaches and an alliance with the Comanche to subdue the Apache.