ALPHONSO, ALFONSO, or ALONZO. This name, so famous in the annals of the Spanish Peninsula, has been borne by no fewer than two-and-twenty of its sovereigns, viz., by eleven of Leon and Castile, five of Leon, and six of Portugal.—(La Coronica General de España, by Morales; Catalogo Real y Genealogico de España, by Rod. Mendez Silva; History of Spain, by Mariana.)
1st. Leon and Castile.—ALPHONSO I., surnamed the Catholic, was the son of Pedro, Duke of Biscay, and a lineal descendant, it is said, of King Recaredo. On the death of Favila the son of Pelayo, in 739, Alonzo, who had married Ormisinda, the daughter of the latter, was proclaimed king of Asturias. He conducted in person a war against the Moors, which lasted almost throughout his reign; extended his territories by the conquest of many important places; and united to his crown the kingdom of Leon. He was a prince of an excellent understanding, equally skilled in the arts of peace and of war, and fortunate in all his undertakings. He died at Cangas in 757, at the age of 74; and was succeeded by his son Fruela, who founded the city of Oviedo in Asturias.
ALPHONSO II., surnamed the Chaste, son of King Fruela who was assassinated in 768, was but a child at his father's death. He was invested with regal authority by King Silon in 774; on whose demise in 783 he became sole monarch. He was afterwards dethroned by his uncle Mauregatus, assisted by the Moors, and retired into Biscay, where he had numerous friends. Mauregatus reigned five years, and was succeeded by Bermudo, who, two years afterwards, took Alonzo as his partner in the throne. Alonzo engaged in war against the Moors, and obtained a great victory over them at Ledas. Bermudo reigned only six and a half years. Alonzo, taking advantage of the dissensions among the Moors, captured the city of Lisbon. After this event, a great rebellion among his subjects obliged Alonzo to fly into Galicia; but with the assistance of Theudius, he was soon re-instated in his dominions. Charlemagne was invited into Spain by Alonzo; and it was in this reign that the famous battle of Roncesvalles was fought. The city of Oviedo was greatly adorned by Alonzo, who was the first sovereign who made it the capital of the kingdom. Here he died in 843, aged 85, having reigned 52½ years. Some historians have erroneously ascribed his surname of Chaste to his having refused to concede the tribute of a hundred virgins to the Moors: but this story is fabulous, that epithet having been derived from his observing an absolute continence towards the queen, his wife, in fulfilment of a vow. He left his throne to Don Ramiro, the son of King Bermudo.
ALPHONSO III., the Great, was 18 years of age on the death of his father Ordoño, in 862. In the first year of his reign the title of King of Galicia was usurped by Fruela, son of King Bermudo, and Alonzo retired to Alava, which was part of his own dominions: but the tyranny of Fruela soon after occasioned his assassination, and Alonzo returned to Asturias. Shortly afterwards, his four brothers, jealous at his elevation, conspired against his life; but they were seized, deprived of their eyes, and cast into prison. Alonzo then commenced those wars against the Moors by which he acquired the epithet of Great. He built Sublan-
cia, and Cea, near Leon; also the cities of Porto, Visco, Chaves, Oca, and Zamora; besides taking from the Moors Coimbra, Simancas, Dueñas, and all the territory of Campos. But fresh conspiracies arrested his victorious career. The malcontents, at the head of whom was his own son Don Garcia, charged him with overtaxing the people for the support of his wars. Alonzo then attacked Don Garcia, and having vanquished him, cast him into prison. Ximena the queen, who was of the blood royal of France, espoused the cause of the insurgents; and Hernandez earl of Castile, the father-in-law of Garcia, united with her other two sons for the deliverance of Don Garcia. The people adopted their cause, and a war ensued which lasted two years; when the king, despairing of any other means to restore peace, abdicated the throne, A.D. 910. But Alonzo could not relinquish the sword with the sceptre. In the true spirit of the age, he undertook, as the lieutenant of his son, an expedition against the Moors, and acquired fresh laurels in this campaign. In the same year, 911, he died at Zamora, after a reign of 48 years, and having added to his dominions a part of Portugal and of Old Castile. He is the reputed author of Annals of Spain, which embrace that period from the time of Wamba, towards the end of the seventh century, to that of Ordoño. Alonzo was tall and of a pleasing countenance, affable, and gentle, and exceedingly liberal to the poor.
ALPHONSO IV., called the Monk, King of Leon, began to reign in 924. On the death of his wife, about six years afterwards, he resigned the crown to his brother Don Ramiro, and retired into a cloister: but soon growing weary of the monastic life, he made an attempt to resume the sceptre. Upon this, King Ramiro besieged him in Leon; and having taken him captive, he put out his eyes, and threw him into a dungeon, where he ended his days.