Spanish forts (presidios) and missions were followed by civilian settlements. The first civilian settlers were the wives and families of presidio soldiers, who followed their men from northern Mexico to the Texas frontier. In 1731 the Spanish King decreed the creation of a formal town, San Fernando de Béxar, and provided financial assistance to settle 55 immigrants from the Canary Islands. The town shared the banks of the San Antonio River with five missions and a presidio. Soldiers, settlers, mission Indians, tribal Indians, and mission priests competed for, and sometimes fought over, the resources of the region.