ALP 



the termination of Aloiifo's reign and life apprn?.clicd, He 

 endeavoured to compenfate liis pall errors and mifcondiiil by 

 ads of piety and charity, by rcdrcfling grievances, etliiblifh- 

 iiig laws for the fupprcfilon and rcttniint of vice and immo- 

 ra ity, dictating falutaiy maxims for ruling the Uate, and 

 effacing from the memory of his fon the infiilt and injury 

 which he had received ; at the fame time he took nieafmes 

 for removing tliofe out of the way, who wei-e likely to be- 

 come the objcfta of refentmcnt after his death. Having 

 concerted ineafures of this kind he died in May 1357, in 

 the 32d year of his reign and the 67th year of his age, with 

 the character of an undnlifnl fon, unnatural brother, and 

 cruel father; but in many relpefts, of a great man and 

 great king, brave and fortunate in war, but artful and in- 

 direct in his political mcafures, attached to his fubj'ils, Ibicl 

 in the adminiilration of juftice, attentive to tlie public welfare 

 and afliduous in cncoury.ging induitry and enriching his 

 people. After all, he was rather reverenced for a right ufe 

 of power, than relied on as a public parent ; and though 

 feared and even eiteemcd, he was not much honoured nor 

 beloved. His device ^^■a? an eagle on the wing, with this 

 motto, " Altiora peto," t. e. my hopes fly high. 



Alphonso, or Alonso V., Don, king of Portugal, 

 furnamed the African, on account of his heroic exploits, 

 was born in 1432, and fucceeded his father, king Edward, 

 at the age of fix years. During his minority his uncle Don 

 Pedro was regent, and though he condufled the adminiftra- 

 tion with reputation, and married his daughter to the young 

 king, he was,*tveated as a traitor at the expiration of his 

 regency ; and both he and feveral of his adherents were put 

 to death. The king, who on this occafion was overpowered 

 by the enemies of the regent, afterwards did juftice to his 

 memory. And he mauifeiled his attachment to his queen, 

 who died in 1455, not without ftrong fufpicions of poifon 

 adminiftered by licr father's enemies, by renouncing all con- 

 lieftions with the fex. Military gloi-y was the chofen objeft 

 of his purfiiit. With this view he turned his arms againfl; 

 the Moors in Barbar)', and in 1458 he palfed over to Afi'ica 

 with a fleet of 20c fail, and an army of 20,000 men. He 

 began his career with the capture of Alca(;er, which he 

 ftrongly garrifoned ; and profecuted it, with various fuccefs, 

 till the year 1470, when, after reducing Arzila and Tangier, 

 he returned with great honour to his own counti-y, and ac- 

 quired the diftinguifliing appellation of ylfrkati. He like- 

 wife added to thofe titles which had defcended to him from 

 his anceftors, that of lord of the coafls on both fcas," and for 

 perpetuating the memoiy of his exploits caufed them to be 

 elegantly -.'rought in tapeflry. The war of Africa gave 

 occafion to the eftabliOament of the order called Knights 

 of the Stvord. Alonfo was engaged in another contell of 

 lefs fortunate iffue againll Ferdinand and Ifabella, of Caftile, 

 in fupport of the claim of his niece Donna Joanna to that 

 crown. His failure of fuccefs induced him to take a journey 

 into France, in order to obtain the afllftance of J^ewis XI. ; 

 but duped hj this faithlcfs monarch, he was fo mortified 

 that he formed a purpofe of refigninghis crown and making 

 a pilgrimage to Jerufalem. During his abfcnce, Portugal 

 was governed, with great ability, by the prince Don Juan ; 

 and upon the king's return, he was received by his fon with 

 refpeft and joy, andreinftated on the throne. Alonfo, how- 

 ever, opprefTed with melancholy, determined to withdraw 

 into a monaftery ; but in his way thither, he was fcized at 

 Cintra with the plague, and died there on the aSth of 

 Auguft 148 1, in the 49th year of his age, and the 43d 

 of his reign. Alonfo was much honoured and beloved by 

 kh fubjedls, on account of his private charafter and public 



ALP 



condiift ; his temper was condcfcendlngand affable, and he 

 was fo much diilinguiflied by his benignity, bounty, and 

 charity, which he particularly difplayed in the ranfoni of 

 prifoners, that he acquired the popular title of the Redeemer 

 of Captives. lie was eminently challe and temperate, fond 

 of letters, and a patron of learning, andthcfirll Portuguefe 

 king who formed a libraiy in his palace. Guinea was dif- 

 covered in his reign, under the aufpices of his uncle, the 

 celebrated Don Henry ; and a very lucrative trade was efta- 

 bliflied by the Portuguefc to that country, which Alonfo 

 vindicated againft the claims and hollile attempts of the Spa- 

 niards. Mod. ITn. Hill. vol. xviii. p. 283 — 307. 



Alphonso, or Alonso Don, VI. king of Portugal, 

 fucceeded his father John IV. in 1656; and having been ftruck 

 ,with the palfy whilft an infant, and neglefted in his education, 

 became of a fierce and untraitable tempi'r, fo that he was 

 depofed and fucceeded by Don Pedro. He died fuddenlyin 

 1683, in the caltle of Cintra, after haying bonie the title of 

 king almofl 27 years, living 40, and being a prifoner 15 

 years. Mod. Un. Hifl. vol. xviii. p. 441, &c. vol. xix. 

 p. 14. 



Alphonso, or Alonso III., furnamed the Great, Vmg 

 of Ailurias, Leon, and Oviedo, was born in 849, and fuc- 

 ceeded his father Don Ordogno in 865. The rebellion of 

 Don Froila compelled him to retire from the kingdojn, but 

 upon the death of this ufurper he returned with univerfal 

 applaufe. He was an able and warlike prince, and in fuc- 

 celTive combats with the Moors he reduced feveral places. 

 His attention to the lower clafles of his fubjeiits difgufted 

 fome of the haughty nobility, and occafioned difturbances 

 which he reprefled. In an intei-val of tranquillity A. D. 900, 

 he held a general council of the clergy and ftate, which 

 enafted fome ufeful regulations, and he diredled his attention 

 to other objefts, that contributed to the honour of his 

 kingdom and the happinefs of his fubjefts. WhiUl he was 

 employed in building and fortifying fome of the towns, 

 which he had taken from the Moors, he was interrupted by 

 them, and reduced to the uecefTity of defending himfelf with 

 a coniiderable army ; which he did v/ith fucli eifecl, tliat 

 they were defeated with great lofs. About the fame time 

 he was diftreffed by the rebellion of his fon Don Garcias, 

 who had formed the defign of depofing his father and 

 feating himfelf upon the throne ; but this rebellion was fooii 

 fuppreiTed. It was foUov/ed, however, by increafing dlf- 

 contents, occafioned by the eonfiiiemeut of Garcias and the 

 oppreffion of taxes ; in confequence of wliich Alonfo, 

 A. D. 910, afiembled the Hates and alfo the grandees of 

 the country, and abdicating the crown, lefigncd it to Don 

 Garcias, who was declared king ; and to his other ion Don 

 Ordogno he affigned the province of Gallicia. Soon after 

 his refignation of the kingdom, his fon affembleda numerous 

 army in order to march agaiutl the Moors ; and having 

 gained coufiderable advantage in 911, he was preparing for 

 another campaign. Alonfo aided him by his counfel, and 

 took pains to convince him, that incurilons and conquells 

 were of little avail, if they were conduced with no other 

 view befide that of enriching the foldiers and of gaining ap- 

 plaufe. His advice was regarded, and Alonfo hiraielf offered 

 to take the command of the army that was raifed for new 

 operations; and having made a glorious campaign in 912, 

 he returned with his army, laden with fpoil to Zamora. 1 

 Here he was foon feized with a diforder, which terminated 

 in his death, December 20th, in 912, two years after his 

 abdication, 49 years from the time of his being afibciated 

 with his father in the government, and when he was about 

 63, or as fome fay 6^ years of age. He was deemed a 



prince 



