ALVARA'DO, a Spanish sculptor of the sixteenth century, born at Briones in Old Castile. His principal work is the great altar of the monastery De la Estrella of the order of St. Jerome, made in 1596, in the priorship of Fray Martin de Huercanos. (Bermudez, Diccionario Historico, &c.) R. N. W. ALVARA'DO, ALONZO DE, a captain in the army of Cortes. He was appointed one of the regidores (managers of the revenue) of the city of Vera Cruz on its foundation. After the conquest of Mexico, he with many of his associates joined Pizarro in Peru, and became one of his confidential officers. Pizarro having established a colony north of Lima, and built in it a city which he called Truxillo, after his native town in Spain, left Alvarado there as superintendent, while he went to Cuzco to arrange differences with Almagro. On the return of Pizarro to Lima, Alvarado went thither, and Pizarro having great confidence in his discretion and good management, then sent him to reduce the Chachapoyas and other provinces to the east of Truxillo: for this purpose Alvarado embodied twenty companies, and marched in that direction. He is stated to have proceeded with more moderation than was agreeable to his troops, and having arrived at Cochabamba without suffering any injury to be inflicted on the natives, which his firmness had enabled him to accomplish, he was well received and the Indians peaceably submitted. He told them that there must be no more idols, nor sorceries, nor sacrifices of men, beasts, or birds; but that they should adore the only God, the creator of all things. The Indians promised to become Christians; upon which both men and women, being gaily dressed, danced in their public place of assemblage. After the dance they laid down all their jewels in a heap, and presented them to Alvarado. Leaving some Spaniards at Cochabamba with orders to live on friendly terms among them, he withdrew his troops and returned to Lima. Pizarro allowed him to keep the presents, and sent him back to form a settlement among that friendly people, which he did, and founded a city called San Juan de la Frontera.

The Peruvians, having risen against Pizarro, besieged him at Lima, and his brothers Ferdinand and Gonzalo at Cuzco: Pizarro succeeded in repelling them, but his brothers were much straitened; he accordingly ordered Alvarado to march to their relief with five hundred men: the distance was a hundred and twenty leagues. The Pizarros were not only in danger from the natives, but disputes had arisen with Almagro about the right to the possession of Cuzco. When Alvarado arrived at the bridge of Abancay over the Apurimac, he received intelligence that Almagro had returned from his Chili expedition, had defeated the Peruvians, surprised Cuzco, and made

Ferdinand and Gonzalo Pizarro his prisoners. Overtures were made to Alvarado on the part of Almagro, but he rejected them as an insult, and ordered the messenger to be seized and put in irons. Almagro upon this marched against him; and his general Orgoñez, passing the Apurimac by night, fell upon Alvarado unawares, put his troops into disorder, and forced him to retreat to a rising ground. Orgoñez pursued him with a body of cavalry, took him prisoner, and sent him to Almagro. This battle was fought on the 12th of July, 1537. Orgoñez strongly advised Almagro to put his three prisoners to death, but he refused. Francisco Pizarro, receiving news at Lima of these events, proclaimed war against Almagro, and commenced a levy of troops. Almagro marched from Cuzco, taking Ferdinand with him, and leaving Gonzalo and Alvarado behind. Gonzalo and Alvarado corrupted their guards, enticed thirty of the soldiery to desert, fought their way through the Indians of the hills, and reached Lima in safety. Alvarado was present at the defeat and capture of Almagro : and he was appointed to conduct the son of Almagro to Lima. [ALMAGRO.] The civil war being concluded, he took possession of his command in the Chachapoyas country, where he remained some time undisturbed. Francisco Pizarro being afterwards assassinated by the partisans of the younger Almagro, who was set up as governor of Peru, Alvarado also proclaimed himself at San Juan de la Frontera, governor and captain-general of his province, and commenced hostilities against the partisans of young Almagro, whom he called the Chili men. He also sent a message to inform Vaca de Castro that he had at his disposal two hundred soldiers well armed and equipped, many of them with silver armour, and their spear heads of the same metal for want of steel. A sufficient force being assembled under De Castro, he marched against Almagro, and a sanguinary battle was fought on the plain of Chupaz. The contest lasted till night, and Alvarado's cavalry began to waver, when De Castro charged with his, and decided the victory. [ALMAGRO the Younger.] He afterwards went to Spain, and at the desire of the Licentiate Pedro de la Gasca, who was then proceeding to Peru as president of the royal chamber of justice, had the title of marshal of the army conferred on him, and sailed back with his protector to America.

Gonzalo Pizarro had now raised the standard of rebellion in Peru. In January, 1548, Gasca ordered Alvarado to collect the soldiers who had been dispersed since the recent conflicts, and also the artillery at Lima and elsewhere, and, nominating him lieutenantgeneral of the army, proceeded with him against the insurgents. In April a battle was fought near Cuzco, during which several of Pizarro's officers and troops deserted him, and

he was taken. Alvarado was named one of his judges; Pizarro was condemned and executed as a traitor, his house demolished, and the site of it was sown with salt. Alvarado thenceforward officiated as a member of the council of Peru, which, in conjunction with the prelates, enacted measures for the relief of the Indians. Complaints of great disorders at Cuzco being brought to the Audiencia at Lima, Alvarado was sent thither as corregidor (chief magistrate), and restored tranquillity. A conspiracy was afterwards formed at Cuzco by Sebastian de Castilla and Egas de Guzman, which spread into the provinces of Los Charcas and Potosi, and whose object was to destroy Alvarado and seize upon the government. Pedro de Hinojosa, a general of great reputation, who was charged by the government to watch his conspiracy, was assassinated by Castilla at Villa de la Plata in Potosi. Castilla then sent a captain (Juan Ramon) with twenty-five men to murder Alvarado; but the captain, ill-pleased with his commission, dissuaded them from their purpose, and they went over to Alvarado. Castilla was in turn assassinated, and Guzman was seized and executed.

Alvarado was next appointed governor of Los Charcas, where he acted with great policy and decision. Another formidable rebellion broke out under Hernandez Giron. Alvarado was sent against him, but he was defeated near the Apurimac, his horse was killed, and he was wounded. He managed, however, to escape to Lima. Hernandez was afterwards taken and beheaded at Lima, and this, the fifth rebellion in those parts, was suppressed. We find no further mention of Alvarado. There are seven officers of the name of Alvarado connected with the American history of this period: they were all actively employed, sometimes together, sometimes wide apart, and they distinguished themselves in various ways: Pedro, Gonzalo, Jorge, Gomez, Juan, Diego, and Alonzo. (Solis, Conquista de Mexico; Herrera, Historia general de los Hechos de los Castellanos, &c.; Zarate, Historia del Descubrimiento y Conquista del Peru.) W. C. W. ALVARA'DO, PEDRO DE, one of the most distinguished of the companions of Hernan Cortes in the conquest of Mexico. He was born at Badajoz in Spanish Estremadura at the close of the sixteenth century. His father was a knight of the order of St. James, and had the "Encomienda" of Lobon in that province. Pedro was one of many sons. Having, with four or five of his brothers, crossed the Atlantic, he was at Cuba in 1518, and was appointed to one of three vessels fitted out by Velasquez, the governor, for exploring the American coast, under the command of Grijalva. After touching at the island of Cozumel (or Acozamil, the isle of swallows), and several places in Yucatan, they sailed up the rivers

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Tabasco and de Banderas, the latter of which was so named from the white banners displayed by the natives on its banks. They were so much pleased with the appearance of the country, the cultivation of the fields and inclosures, the beauty of the Indian edifices, and the signs of civilization, that Grijalva gave it the name of New Spain. They were also successful in the main object of all the Spanish enterprises in the West. By the barter of glass beads, small mirrors, hawks' bells, and similar trifles, for the plates, bracelets, pendants, and other ornaments of gold worn by the natives, they collected the precious metals to the value of about fifteen thousand dollars. Here also the Spaniards first heard of Motezuma and his extensive empire. Alvarado was despatched to Cuba with a report of the regions which they had explored; and all the gold was intrusted to him to exhibit as proof of their value. As Grijalva, by his instructions, was strictly forbidden to colonise, he continued his course along the coast, visiting several points and collecting more treasure.

The sight of the gold stimulated Velasquez to the prosecution of these discoveries: he blamed the scrupulous obedience of Grijalva, and when that officer reached Cuba, he gave him an unwelcome reception, and dismissed him from his command.

In February, 1519, Cortes sailed from Havanna with eleven vessels; his force amounted to five hundred and eight officers and soldiers, and a hundred and nine seamen and artificers. Alvarado had command of one of the vessels, and four of his brothers embarked with him. The fleet was separated by a storm, and Alvarado arrived at Cozumel, the appointed rendezvous, three days before the rest. Cortes here reviewed his little army, held council with his eleven captains, and prepared for immediate service.

As Alvarado, although eminently distinguished in this campaign, was only a secondary personage, the main events of it belong to the biographies of Cortes and Motezuma; but we occasionally fall upon individual traits of a marked character peculiarly his own, and which, painting to the life the Spanish soldier of the age of Charles V., deserve a brief record. In the first voyage with Grijalva, he entered alone the river Papaloava, and trusting himself among the natives, who were in that quarter of doubtful temper, obtained from them fish, fruits, and other supplies. Grijalva reprimanded him for running into danger; but the sailors, admiring his intrepidity, gave the river the name of the young officer, which it still retains el Rio Alvarado, the mouth of which is about forty miles to the south-east of Vera Cruz. Solis calls him a young man of spirit and courage, resolute in discharge of his duty, and whose maxim was, that a soldier's greatest fault was to be idle. Herrera

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tells us that he had a pleasing address, and a happy facility in engaging recruits. The estimation in which he was held by Cortes is attested by the unbounded confidence which he reposed in him. At the fight of Tabasco, the great battle of Otumba, and the final reduction of the capital city after many and great difficulties, dangers, and reverses, Alvarado was intrusted with the most important operations, and mainly contributed to sucWhen the shrewd vigilance of Cortes prompted him to oppose personally any interruption to his great design,- for the envious spirit of Velasquez, the governor of Cuba, caused him frequent anxiety and trouble,on all such occasions he left the command with Alvarado, who discharged his duties with unswerving fidelity.

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During the first occupation of the city of Mexico, Cortes gained possession of the person of Motezuma. The conqueror and the captive sometimes amused themselves at "totoloque," a game played with small golden balls and pins. Alvarado acted as marker: the stakes were jewels or other ornaments; Motezuma distributed his winnings among the Spanish soldiers, and Cortes among the royal servants. Alvarado was sometimes careless, and neglected to note the points which Cortes gained. The king, with gentle courtesy, rebuked him as a bad reckoner, yet always would have him as marker, and bade him take care that he did not forget the game. He was royal, adds the historian, even in his recreations. The Tlascalan general, Xicotencatl, gave Alvarado the name of "Tonatiuhtzin" (the sun), because he was fair and ruddy, and a great favourite with all the Tlascalans.

When Cortes was called away to meet Narvaez, who had been sent by the governor of Cuba, with a force very superior to his own, to dispossess him of his command, he left the city and the royal captive in Alvarado's charge, with a force of a hundred and fifty men according to Herrera, but by Solis stated not to have exceeded eighty. Cortes did this, says Solis, because he considered him the most fit; not only for that he had gained the affection of the king, but also that he was a brave and intelligent officer; which good qualities were enhanced by an easy address, and natural frankness of disposition. He never yielded to difficulties, and, where occasion needed, supplied the deficiencies of strength by the resources of talent. His instructions were to keep his prisoner under that mild restraint which would make him scarcely perceive his real loss of liberty. Cortes left also in his care the whole of the royal and other treasure.

During the absence of the chief, a dangerous commotion took place in the capital, and when Alvarado sent messengers to tell Cortes that he was hard pressed by the Mexicans, Motezuma sent with them others to say that

he could not restrain the fury of his subjects, but that he was well content in the hands of Alvarado, and had no desire to be separated from him.

Las Casas charges Alvarado with an atrocious attack upon the Mexicans for the purpose of plunder; but, with great veneration for that amiable man, we are taught that he was credulous in adopting reports which might favour his benevolent scheme of protecting the Indians, and for whose misfortunes he found an unhappy remedy in the commencement of the African slave trade. Robertson admits that he has exaggerated; but most of the Spanish historians charge him with perverting the facts of history. In this case it is fair to consider the ill-chosen time and insufficient force, and also to ask whether Cortes, his commander, would not have punished so rash an act, rather than have continued, as he did, his confidence in him. Both Herrera and Solis assure us that a plot was laid for the massacre of the Spaniards, and that Alvarado kept the whole Mexican population at bay with his small band until the return of Cortes from his victory over Narvaez, and with the troops of that captain incorporated with his own. In the valuable series of original memoirs now or lately in course of publication at Paris by Mons. Ternaux-Compans, there are statements by native Mexican authors, contemporary and other, which increase the difficulty of coming to a satisfactory decision on many points of the conquest of Mexico.

An instance of the presence of mind, personal strength, and bodily activity of Alvarado occurs in the disastrous retreat from the capital, after the death of Motezuma by his subjects. On the 1st of July, 1520, Cortes, seeing his great danger, assembled his troops at midnight, and assigned to Alvarado the perilous command of the rear-guard. Their departure was obstructed by the entire population, which had risen on the first rumour of their movement. The Spaniards had to pass along a causeway between the lakes of Zumpango and Xaltocan, of the breadth of two lances. For the purpose of defence the causeway was open in three places, and bridges were thrown over the openings. The Mexicans had cut down the bridges to prevent the escape of the Spaniards. Cortes ordered a moveable bridge to be constructed, which was to be carried from one to the other opening. This proved impracticable, for before the passage of the rear-guard over the first, the Mexicans in their canoes destroyed it, and cut to pieces nearly the whole body. Alvarado, beset on every side, his horse killed under him, without any chance of succour, and with a breadth of water before him far too wide to leap over, used his tall Spanish lance as a pole, and with a vigorous bound got upon the opposite bank. Many followed his example, but none succeeded.

The place was thenceforward known by the name of Alvarado's Leap," El Salto de Alvarado," which, says Herrera, all to this day regard with astonishment. This night is called in history, "la noche triste," " the sad night." The place and incident have merited particular notice by Humboldt in his work on Mexico. The fact, which he states to be by popular tradition still familiar to the inhabitants of the city, was disputed by some of Alvarado's companions in arms, Bernal Diaz among the rest; but Humboldt saw a manuscript history by Camargo, a noble mestizo of Tlascala, a contemporary of Cortes, who relates the fact with much simplicity, and without any appearance of exaggeration. Alvarado was in every fight until the final reduction of Mexico. Afterwards, in 1523, he was sent with three hundred foot, a hundred and sixty horse, and four pieces of cannon, with some Mexican auxiliaries, against the tribes of Indians on the coast of the Pacific in the direction of Guatemala. He reduced the provinces of Zacatulan, Tecoantepec (now Tehuantepec), Soconusco, and Utlatlan. In a conflict at Cayacatl on the coast of the Pacific, where the Indians fought with great courage, Alvarado was lamed in one of his legs by an arrow, and it was ever after three inches shorter than the other. During this campaign horse-shoes were sold at a hundred and fifty pieces of eight the dozen. Having beaten off all opponents, he passed on to Guatemala, called by the natives Quahtemallan, and on the border of the lake Atitlan took some Indians prisoners. He sent them to their chiefs with overtures of peace. The chiefs answered that they had never been conquered, but since he behaved himself so bravely, they were willing to be his friends; accordingly their chiefs came, touched his hands, and remained peaceable. As he proceeded, all the people round the lake brought him presents, and assurances of friendship were reciprocated. He then founded a city, which he called Santiago de los Caballeros (now Guatemala la Vieja), with a church of the same name, and Cortes sent him two hundred Spaniards to increase its population. Alvarado also sent his brother Diego to form a settlement in Tecultran, which he called San Jorge, and he then established a poft on the Pacific, fifteen leagues from the city of Santiago, which he called Puerto de la Posesion. He then embarked for Spain, where he was received with a distinction worthy of his fame. The Emperor Charles V., on his landing, desired he would go posthaste to court. In acknowledgment of his services, Alvarado obtained the governorship of Guatemala, and all the gold and valuables which he had brought were declared his own. During this visit he formed a matrimonial alliance with Doña Beatriz de la Cueva, a lady of an ancient and noble Spanish house, from which the dukes of Albuquerque are

descended, and shortly afterwards he returned with a numerous band of knights, gentlemen, kinsmen and friends, to Guatemala, which speedily became a handsome and prosperous city; and the province, says Herrera, flourished while he had the command of it. (Dec. 4. lib. 2. cap. 3.)

Great enterprises were still in prosecution in South America under Pizarro and Almagro, who had gained possession of Peru, and projected the conquest of Chili. Alvarado was not of a temper to be idle while others were in arms. Quito with its rich city was not considered within the boundary of Pizarro's command; and Alvarado, having authority from the Emperor Charles to extend his discoveries, but with special caution not to interfere with the conquests of other captains, determined to go thither. After sending one of his officers, Garcia de Holguin, who had signalised himself in the Mexican campaigns, to reconnoitre, and receiving from him encouraging accounts, he embarked on the Pacific with five hundred soldiers, two hundred and twenty-seven of whom were horsemen, with an intention to land at Puerto Viejo; but the voyage being unpropitious and a mortality spreading among the horses, he landed at a bay called Bahia de los Caraques, near Cape San Francisco, sending on at the same time his pilot, Juan Fernandez, to ascertain the limits of Pizarro's government, on which he declared he had no wish to intrude. From Caraques he marched into the interior, and with a courage and perseverance almost without a parallel, which may be read with interest in the Decades of Herrara, he reached the country he was in quest of. Notwithstanding all his care (for he set an example to the hardiest of his men by frequently dismounting his horse and placing a sick man upon it), he lost in the morasses near the coast and the snows of the Andes seventy-nine of his soldiers; six Spanish women also who accompanied them perished, and many horses. The fatal symptoms were sometimes lethargy, at others frenzy. Once a man ran out with his drawn sword and killed a horse, at a time when every one was worth three or four hundred pieces of eight in Peru. On ascending the Andes, Alvarado learnt that an armed force under Almagro and another leader of reputation, Belalcazar, was in readiness to meet him. He took some of their scouts, treated them well, and sent them back, with a civil message that he did not come to breed disturbances, but only to discover, under the royal commission, new lands along the South Sea, and that he was ready to meet them on friendly terms. They met at Riobamba, on the plain of that name, and it was adjusted that Alvarado should relinquish his project, leave such of his followers as were willing to remain, together with all the vessels except those necessary for his return, and receive a

hundred and twenty thousand castellanos, or pieces of eight, as an indemnification for his outlay and losses. This he did, as he affirmed, to avoid injury to his sovereign, and the evils of civil warfare. Pizarro came up with an additional force, but being informed of what had taken place, the affair ended with lively rejoicings, and Alvarado departed with valuable presents.

His renown spreading throughout the Spanish possessions, he was called to Honduras to help the settlers out of some difficulties. He was received with great joy, and the government was resigned into his hands. He founded there a town, which he called "Gracias a Dios," because his men, having suffered much in travelling over barren mountains, exclaimed, when they reached that place, "Thanks to God, we are come into a good land." He also formed another settlement, which he called San Juan de Puerto de Caballos, in the bay of Honduras.

Ferdinand Pizarro having, in 1534, gone to Spain with a great amount of treasure from Peru, and represented among other things the circumstances of Alvarado's expedition to Quito, the emperor had declared it an entire contravention of his orders, and expressed great indignation. He had sent out orders for Alvarado's arrest, and it was on this account, it is said, that he so readily answered the call to go to Honduras. The affairs of that district being brought into good order, Alvarado resolved to visit Spain a second time. He embarked with his wife at the port of Truxillo in Honduras Bay, on board a caravel bound for Havanna, and from thence proceeded to his destination. He found means, by his arguments, or by the influence of his friends, so to soften the emperor, that, not only his disobedience was overlooked, but his government was enlarged with the addition of the province of Honduras to that of Guatemala. He returned with his wife, and landed at Puerto de Caballos. Honduras was again in great disorder. officer of rank, Don Francisco de Montejo, had laid claim to the government, and showed a disposition to maintain it. When, however, Alvarado produced the royal patent, Montejo yielded, and consented to quit Honduras, only desiring that Alvarado would give him the governorship of Chiapa in Guatemala, and the town of Xuchimilco, near the city of Mexico, which was granted; and, the bishop having rated the profits he had received in Honduras at twenty-eight thousand ducats, Alvarado immediately remitted him one half, and two months afterwards, at the intercession of the lady Beatriz, was prevailed upon to forego the other, for Montejo was about to marry his daughter. "From that time," says Herrera, "Honduras, which had been continually troubled with broils and suffered great oppression, was peaceable under the

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government of Alvarado." These matters being adjusted, he proceeded to Guatemala, and set about new discoveries. He equipped a fleet of twelve large ships and two rowgalleys, one of twenty, the other of thirteen benches, and embarked at El Puerto de la Posesion, with eight hundred soldiers, a hundred and fifty horses, and a considerable retinue of Indians. He sailed along the coast, but, the weather being very unfavourable, put into the port of Los Pueblos de Avalos on the coast of Michoacan. At this period the Chichimecas of New Galicia, a brave race of men, from whom, according to Clavigero, the Tlascalans, allies of Cortes, were descended, had revolted. Oñate had marched against them and been worsted: hearing that Alvarado was on the coast, he sent him advices of what had happened. Alvarado immediately landed at Los Pueblos with a part of his horse and foot, crossed in a night and day the morass of Tonala, generally reckoned a three days' march, and on reaching the encampment of the Spaniards, held a consultIation with the officers. The Indians had withdrawn and fortified themselves on the mountain tops in a position difficult of access: they were numerous, obstinate, hardy, expert bowmen, and very dexterous in the use of the javelin. The Spaniards and their Indian allies attacked them with vigour, but were repulsed and driven back to the plain. The Indians followed in great numbers, and the ground being marshy and unfit for cavalry operations, the Spaniards continued their retreat to a river, which they forded; but the farther bank was so steep, that the troopers were compelled to dismount and lead their horses up it. Alvarado stayed, as usual, to bring up the rear : a horse climbing the bank slipped and fell upon him. As he was in armour, the weight of the animal crushed his breast so severely that he died in three days. His death put a stop to the expedition.

In the same year, 1541, a heavy calamity befel the city of Santiago, which he had founded, and his surviving family. A furious storm, accompanied by an inundation from the mountains, swept away two thirds of the buildings, and among them an oratory of the house of the recently deceased governor, in which his widow, with several domestics and other persons, perished. (Herrera, Historia General de los Hechos de los Castellanos, &c.; Solis, Conquista de Mexico; Humboldt, Political Essay on New Spain; Histoire des Chichimeques par Don Fernando de Alva Ixtlilxochitl, publiée en Français par H. Ternaux-Compans, Paris, 1840. In a volume of the collection of Ternaux-Compans, entitled "Recueil de Pièces relatives a la Conquête du Mexique," is an account translated into French of the storm, and destruction of the lady Beatriz, and the danger of her children, by an eye-witness; it is intensely inter