Final answer:
The Spanish primary motive for establishing a colony in Georgia was focused on territorial expansion and protection through a chain of religious mission villages, which served as buffer zones and sources of labor and resources.
Step-by-step explanation:
The primary motive for the Spanish to establish the initial colony in Georgia was to extend their territorial claims and protect their interests via religious missions among the native peoples. Through a chain of religious mission villages among the Guale, Timucua, and Apalachee Indians, the Spanish sought to Christianize and acculturate southeastern Indians. This network of missions served as a buffer zone to shield Spanish St. Augustine from the British at Charles Town, and as a source of labor and sustenance.
These missions also provided strategic advantages, dwarfing other potential motives such as acquiring precious metals or establishing trade routes. Although the British later founded the Georgia colony as a buffer against Spanish Florida, the Spanish initially focused on their mission system to assert control.
So, the correct answer to the question is: C. Seeking religious freedom and missionary opportunities.