A'LAVA, DON MIGUEL RICA.RDO D', a Spanish general, b. at Vittoria, in 1771, of a noble family, in the province of Alava. He entered the navy in early life; but afterwards changed to the laud-service. After the abdication of Ferdinand VII., he was for a time a zealous partisan of France; however, in 1811, when he saw the fortunes of Joseph beginning to wane, he abandoned the cause of this prince, to embrace that of the national party, and accepted the office of Spanish commissary on the staff of Wellington. He gained the confidence of this general, and from this time manifested the strongest pre dilection for England and English institutions. The war of independence furnished him with numerous occasions of distinguishing himself. After the restoration of the king, however, be was arrested, on the suspicion of entertaining liberal opinions; but on the application of his uncle, Ethenard, the inquisitor, seconded by the influence of Welling ton, he was not only liberated, but appointed ambassador to the Hague. He returned to Spain in 1820, after the revolution; became captain-general of Aragon, made himself con spicuous among the Exaltados, and figured iu the ranks of the militia on occasion of the revolt of the royal guard at Madrid, July 7, 1822. In the cortes assembled at Seville in
1823, he voted for the suspension of the royal authority, and took part in the negotiations carried on with the duke of Angouleme, at Cadiz. The re-establishment of absolute monarchy in the peninsula drove him, as a political refugee, to Brussels and England, till, at the death of Ferdinand, he was recalled by the regent, Maria Christina. In 1834, he was appointed Spanish ambassador to London; and towards the end of 1835, he under took a mission to Paris. Under the administration of Isturiz, A. showed himself as zeal ous for the moderate system as lie had been for the preceding one, and advocated the French intervention, which he had opposed during his embassy to London. After the insurrection of La Granja, he refused to swear to the constitution of 1812; declaring that he was tired of constantly taking new oaths; he gave in his resignation accordingly, and retired to France, where he died in 1843.