Final answer:
An empresario in Texas history was a land grant holder who brought settlers to the region, fostering population growth and leading to significant historical developments like the Texas Revolution and the establishment of the Republic of Texas.
Step-by-step explanation:
In Texas history, an empresario could best be described as a land grant holder who brought settlers to Texas. This role was part of a system created by Spain, and later continued by Mexico, to populate Texas by offering generous grants of land to individuals or groups that could successfully settle a specified number of families in the region. For example, Moses Austin and later his son, Stephen F. Austin, were among such empresarios who led American settlers into Texas, which eventually contributed to the demographic and political changes leading to the Texas Revolution and the formation of the Republic of Texas.The situation surrounding empresarios often caused tensions, as seen when Haden Edwards, an empresario, tried to evict settlers from his grant, which led to the Mexican government annulling his contract and contributed to the short-lived Republic of Fredonia rebellion. These empresarios, by bringing in settlers who had different customs and views on issues such as slavery, which was outlawed in Mexico by President Vicente Guerrero, planted the seeds for inevitable conflicts, such as the Texas Revolution and later disagreements that were factors in the Mexican-American War.