The Tale of Enrique Sanchez Monastario, Commandante of the pueblo de Los Angeles By MaryAnn T. Beverly

In 1820 Spanish California in the pueblo of Los Angeles, the military garrison is run by a commandante named Enrique Sanchez Monastario.  Capitan Monastario is an intelligent, elegant man.  Far superior to those he commands, he frequently is frustrated by their bumbling incompetence.  Monastario has grand plans for his life.  Attaining power, wealth, and control are all included in his personal vision.  To this end, he arranges for false charges of treason to be brought against one of the area dons, Nacho Torres.

The first meeting between the well read son of Don Alejandro and the dashing but cruel commandante of the pueblo de Los Angeles.

Alejandro de la Vega, the wealthiest and most respected don in Los Angeles, summons home from a Spanish university his only son Diego so that he might have an ally against Monastario.  Alejandro, a man of action, fully expects that his will son will join him in the righteous cause to destroy Capitan Monastario. Diego de la Vega learns of the conditions in Los Angeles while still aboard the ship bringing him there.  He astutely decides that a handful of men fighting Monastario and his cuartel of lancers in a battle will be unsuccessful.  A more wily approach, a more secretive plan, would have to be brought against the clever Monastario. "If you cannot clothe yourself in the skin of the lion, put on that of the fox," Diego tells his trusted mozo Bernardo.   Zorro, the fox, is born.

The capitan tries to stir Diego to action but the son of Don Alejandro is wily as a fox

Upon arrival in Los Angeles, Diego assumes the role of a bookish scholar, a man opposed to physical exertion, a man who had no interest in the problems of the pueblo.   His intention is to lull Monastario into a false sense of security.  The ploy works.  Monastario assesses the handsome caballero as a non-threat and dismisses him.   He has more important matters at hand - killing Nacho Torres. Monastario's right hand man, a lawyer named Pina, is to release Torres from jail after telling him that the evidence against him has been reevaluated and the charges dropped.  As Torres leaves the jail and cuartel, Monastario will shoot and kill him saying that it is a prison break.  The plan is set in motion.  What Monastario doesn't know, couldn't know, is that a new hero, masked and clad in black, has come to Los Angeles.

Zorro has plans of his own regarding Senor Torres, and he is prepared to face Monastario in order to rescue the don.  After freeing Torres and locking Pina in the jail, Zorro turns with drawn sword to face a horrified and perplexed Monastario.  A furious duel takes place between them.  Monastario is bested and put in the cell with the lawyer.

Disguised as the clever El Zorro, the fox, Diego goes to the rescue of Don Nacho but meets Capitan Monastario.  Unfortunately, the skilled commandante finds an equal in the black cloaked stranger.

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