"tocaba probar"

Question

I'm trying to understand what "tocaba probar" means -- the particular sentence I'm working with is:

"Tocaba probar á los que sostenian la afirmativa de la venida del Apóstol; mas no existiendo pruebas, ocurrióse suplantarlas."

This has to do with the legend of St. James coming to Spain, so the gist is: "[Tocaba probar] to those who supported [the story of] the coming of the apostle; but as proofs were lacking, it occurred to them to come up with their own."

There's lots of hits for "tocaba probar" where it seems to mean something like "attempted" but I'm new to Spanish and having a hard time grasping what is intended here and elsewhere.

Answer 1

It was time to try...

or: It was time to prove (their prediction) - nelson_rafael, May 18, 2011

Or going by the dictionary definition (now that I know what it means) "it fell to them to prove..." Thanks! - rl717, May 18, 2011

Answer 2

Think if you were at a debate, One says something (a turn to say something),,,,

And you deny it, and say: prove it! (your turn to reply). ...

((Then it's the turn of the first person to prove their statement. ))

(( Entonces le toca a la primera persona hablar, para probar su comentario ))

Past Tense: (Le) tocaba a la primera persona hablar, para probar su comentario

Now, Your paragraph would be: It was the turn of who had affirmed the second coming of the apostle, but with no evidence, they preferred changed it. (Please correct me)

Yes! The opposite side had just been presented. Thanks! - rl717, May 18, 2011

Answer 3

It was time for those who claimed the veracity of the coming of the apostle, to prove it; but lacking evidence, they chose to replace it.