Page:Catholic Encyclopedia, volume 1.djvu/414

ALVA fanaticism he boldly entered the campaign against Paul IV, and when the King offered an advantageous peace to the Pope, the Duke exclaimed angrily that submission and timidity did not agree with politics and war. Alva, like his King, has been blackened savagely by prejudiced historians. As Maurenbrecher says, the caricatures of both have their origin in the passionate apology for William of Orange. As to Motley's historical work quoted above, Guizot remarks that "M. Motley exhibits in his work both science and passion" (Mélanges biograph. et littéraires, Paris, 1808). His judgment of Alva is neither objectively justified nor of definitive value.

.  Alva y Astorga,, a Friar Minor of the Strict Observance, and a voluminous writer on theological subjects, generally in defense of the Immaculate Conception; b. at Carbajales, Spain, toward the end of the sixteenth century; d. in Belgium, 1667. He took the Franciscan habit in Peru. He lectured on theology, was Procurator-General of the Franciscans, in Rome, and Qualificator of the Holy Office. He was an indefatigable traveller. His principal opponents were the Dominicans. His polemic had such a personal tone and was so violent that he was sent to the Low-Countries. Two editions of his work, "Nodus indissolubilis de conceptu mentis et conceptu ventris" (Madrid, 1661, 1663), are on the Index of prohibited books. His writings fill forty folio volumes. The most important is his "Armentarium Seraphicum pro tuendo Immaculatæ Conceptionis titulo" (Madrid, 1648). In this he collaborated with the best theologians of the Friars Minor.

Author:John Joseph A'Becket.  Alvarado,, a Knight of Santiago, b. at Secadura de Trasmura, near Burgos, date unknown; d. 1559. He came to America, and went to Peru with Pedro de Alvarado in 1534. He was no relative of the latter, however. While charged by some contemporaries with avarice and cruelty, it is undeniable that during the trying period of civil wars in Peru (about 1537 to 1555) Alvarado was an unflinching and determined adherent to the interests of Spain. He always sided with those whom he thought to be sincere representatives of the crown, and it was not always profitable and safe to be on that side. Thus, in 1537, he commanded the troops of Pizarro's followers, when Almagro claimed Cuzco. Defeated and captured by the latter at Abancay, after effecting his escape under great difficulties as well as dangers, and rejoining Pizarro, whom he looked upon as the legitimate governor of Peru, he took part in all the bloody troubles that followed, always as a prominent military leader and always unsuccessful when in immediate command. Still, he was counted upon as a mainstay of the Spanish cause, and occupied a high military position. When Francisco Hernandez Giron raised the standard of rebellion in 1553, Alvarado was put in command of the forces to oppose him. At Chuquinga, in 1554, Alvarado suffered a signal defeat at the hands of the insurgents. Overcome by melancholy in consequence of that last disaster, he pined away and died five years later. His principal achievement, however, was the pacification of Chachapoyas in northeastern Peru, in the years 1535 and 1536, this being the first step taken from Peru towards the Amazonian basin. Alvarado married in Spain while on a short visit, in 1544.

Author:Adolph Francis Alphonse Bandelier.  Alvarado,, a native of Mexico, where he entered the Dominican order 25 July, 1574. He was vicar of Tamazulapa in 1593. Nothing more is known of him as yet, except that he wrote and published at Mexico, in 1593, a "Vocabulario en Lengua Misteca," one of the languages of the present state of Oaxaca. In the same year Fray Antonio de los Reyes, another Dominican, also published a grammar of that language, and at the same place. It is therefore impossible to determine to which of these works is due the honour of having been the first in and on the Mistecan idiom.

Author:Adolph Francis Alphonse Bandelier.  Alvarado, .—Of the companions of Cortez, and among the superior officers of his army, Pedro de Alvarado became the most famous in history. A native of Badajóz, son of the commander of Lobon, he was made a Knight of the Order of Santiago in reward for his exploits in Mexico and Central America. He accompanied Grijalva on his exploration of Yucatan and the Mexican coast in 1518, and was the chief officer of Cortez during the conquest of Mexico. As such, he was left in command of the forces at Tenochtitlan, when the conqueror had to move against Pámfilo de Narvaez in 1520. During the absence of Cortez it became clear that the Mexican Indians, to avail themselves of the weakness in numbers of the Spaniards, were preparing to fall upon them before Cortez could return. To forestall this, Alvarado, warned of the character of a ceremonial that was going on. as preliminary to an attack upon him, took the offensive, and dispersed the Indians with some bloodshed (the numbers have been considerably exaggerated), but this only caused the Mexicans to begin hostilities at once. Alvarado distinguished himself by his military ability and