ALMAGRO, son of Diego de Almagro and an Indian woman, was about sixteen years of age at the time of his lather's death ; and was left heir to his estate, as well as successor to his gm lit. But he was dispossessed of both by Pizarro, and confined as a prisoner in Lima He resembled his father in courage and generosity while he excelled him in personal accomplishments, and the advantages ol education. Ile was, in every respect, well calculated to attach to himself the friends of his father, and to conduct them in any attempt to recover their possessions and power. But all, NN ho his cause, were persecuted by Pizarro, with unrelenting severity. Stigmatized and outlawed, their condition was completely deplorable, and their spirits were rendered desperate. Determined to avenge the murder of their former leader, the cruel treatment of his son, and their own aggravated injuries, they ranged themselves under the command of the young Almagro, and began to con cert plots against the life of Pizarro. In the mean time. they were reduced to such extremities, that Almagro. and seven of his friends, possessed only one cloak among them, which they used by turns, when they went abroad to view the aspect of their affairs. When their party amounted to three hundred, they resolved, without far ther delay, to avenge themselves upon their tyrannical oppressor; and, after having been foiled in several of their schemes, they decided, as their last resource, to make a direct attack upon the person of Pizarro. Thir teen of the most daring, with Almagro at their head, and with drawn swords in their hands, rushed towards the palace of their adversary, crying aloud, " Long live the king, hut let the tyrant perish."—After a desperate conflict, and a most heroic resistance, Pizarro sunk under the fury of their assault. Returning to the market-place, they congratulated their friends who were there assem bled, and proclaimed Almagro governor of Peru. The majority of the Spaniards and Indians, with the Inca, Manco Capac, acknowledged his authority ; but many refused to declare themselves, till the arrival of Baca de Castro. This nobleman was on his way from the Spa
nish court, invested with a commission to examine into the differences between Almagro and Pizarro, and ap pointed successor to the latter in case of his decease.
In consequence of the misconduct of the insurgents, and the respect which was entertained for the royal mandate, the party of the new viceroy daily increased in strength. The ardour with which the Spaniards had supported the cause of Almagro, was greatly cooled by the violent measures of his friends; and he himself was strongly reprobated for having cruelly tortured and put to death Pizarro's secretary, Picado. Dissentions arose among his principal officers, and a conspiracy even had been formed against his life. He hastened, therefore, as speedily as possible, to oppose the progress of Dc Castro; and he began his march with 700 veteran Span ish soldiers, and several thousand Indians. He was de sirous to come to a friendly accommodation ; but deter mined, if that could not be done, to support his claims by force. Proposals were made by both parties, and negociations commenced ; but Almagro, having found reasons to suspect De Castro's sincerity, and having ac tually detected his attempts to seduce his adherents, prepared to decide their differences by the sword. The two armies met in the vale of Chapas. More than one half of the troops on both sides were killed or wounded in the engagement ; but through the treachery of Alma gro's commander of artillery, his party was defeated, and driven from the field. Almagro himself, after hav ing given the most astonishing proofs of his intrepidity and skill, saved himself by flight, and sought refuge in the city of Cusco ; but the very friends whom he had in vested with the government of the town, delivered him up to the victorious viceroy. With scarcely the for mality of a trial, he was instantly beheaded, in the '20th year of his age. By his death the name of his family became extinct, and his party was completely suppress ed. Mod. U71. llrst. vol. xxxviii. p..336-390. Robert son's Illsrory (q)