ALVARES DE LUNA, in Biography, high treasurer to John II. king of Castile, and a remarkable favourite of that prince. He was born in 1388, and was the ille gitimate son of Alvaro de Luna, a nobleman of Arragon, and of an inferior woman, whose character was that of the most corrupted of her sex. While yet a child, pope Benedict XIII. was so pleased with his sprightliness and wit, that he changed his name from Peter to Alva yes, and afforded him his countenance and protection. Ile was introduced at court A. D. 1408, and made a gen tleman of the bed-chamber of king John. From this office he gradually rose to others of extensive patro nage, and high responsibility ; though not without the opposition of the barons, who despised his unwarlikc qualifications, and envied him for the influence which he had acquired and maintained over the king. The consequence of this opposition was, that Alvares was banished from the royal presence, and remained for a year and a half at a distance from court. But John, who seems to have been a feeble prince, was so distressed at his removal and felt so painfully the uneasiness to which it gave rise, that he recalled him from exile, in vested him with his former authority, and loaded him with new marks of his favour. No sooner was he re instated in power, than he exerted all his influence again!, t those who had driven him from the society of the king. The nobles were banished in their turn ; and they had the mortification to see every office of dignity or emolument engrossed by the favourite, or thrown away upon Ins minions. Nothing was done without his orders ; all the places within the kingdom were at his disposal ; lie was master of the treasury, and so profuse in his bounties, that though the eyes of the monarch were at length opened, he was unable to relieve himself, and afraid to complain. But the time of inquiry and of
retribution was approaching. The royal favour had de parted from this unworthy minister ; the nobles, who had long cherished the most determined hatred against him, perceived the change, and rejoiced in the oppor tunity of turning it to their advantage. Alvares was seized, and confined. The voice of popular approbation was now on the side of his enemies, and his fall was contemplated without interest or emotion, even by those whom he had raised to distinction and to wealth. He attempted oftener than once to procure an interview with the king ; but all his attempts failing, he wrote to him a letter expressive of the sense which he entertained of his goodness, a goodness which, he remarked, ought to have induced him, as his sovereign, to fix proper li mits to his fortune ; begging that 10,000 crowns, with which he had furnished the treasury by unjust means, should be restored to those from whom they had been taken, and requesting that this might be done, if not from a regard to his past services, at least from the reasonableness of the request.
This letter, however, had no effect upon the king. Alvares was tried and condemned ; and being removed to Valladolid, he was beheaded in the market place of that city ; leaving his name to give force to the precepts of the moralist, and to enlarge the catalogue of such as have been raised by princely favour to power and riches; have rioted in the extravagance of dominion, and have suffered the punishment due to their insolence and their crimes. See dbrege de l'Histoire d'Estiagne, par P. Isla, tom. ii. p. 270. (h)