ALVAREZ, FRANCISCO (c. ?), Portuguese missionary and explorer, born at Coimbra, was sent in 1515 as secretary to Duarte Galvao and Rodrigo da Lima on an embassy to the negus of Abyssinia (Lebna Dengel Dawit [David] II.). It was not until 152o that he reached Abyssinia, where he remained six years, returning to Lisbon in 1526-27. In 1533 he was sent to Rome on an embassy to Pope Clement VII.
His account of his travels, Verdadera In f ormacam das terras do Presto Joam, was published in 154o at Lisbon, and translated into English (Sam. Purchas, Pilgrimes, part ii., 1625).