 In this system the basic units were the "mão-travessa" (hand) = 1 decimetre (10 "mão-travessas" = 1 "vara" (yard) = 1 metre), the "canada" = 1 liter and the "libra" (pound) = 1 kilogram.Until the ascent of the Bourbon monarchy in Spain in 1700, each region of Spain had its own system of measurement.The new Bourbon monarchy tried to centralise control and with it the system of measurement.