ALMAGRO, DIEGO DE, was born about the year but very little is known concerning his parentage, or the place of his nativity. lie is said to have been a foundling, and to have derived his name from the village in which he was exposed. He was meanly educated, and received no instructions either in reading or writ ing ; but by his own merit and exertions, he rose to considerable eminence as a military character. He ac quired so much wealth and reputation among the Spa nish adventurers in Panama, that in 1524 he was asso ciated with Francisco Pizarro, and Fernando de Luque, in an enterprize against Peru. They were very unsuc cessful in their first attempts ; and Almagro was repeat edly remanded to Panama, for supplies of stores and troops. Their progress was retarded, and their soldiers disheartened, by the frequent jealousies and contentions which took place among the leaders of the expedition. When they had procured an additional number of part ners in the enterprize, and were preparing a greater ar mament than usual, the governor of Panama refused to renew their commission. Pizarro was sent therefore to Old Spain, in order to solicit sufficient powers and sup plies. He was favourably received by the emperor Charles V. and fully authorized to undertake the con quest of Peru. He obtained for himself the title of Ndelantado, or lieutenant-general, and the appointment of governor of all the countries in South America, which might be subdued tinder his auspices. Luque, who was an ecclesiastic, was recommended to the pontiff, as bishop and protector-general of the Indians ; while Almagro was only appointed to the government of Tundizz. With this arrangement he was naturally much dissatisfied, accused Pizarro of a dishonourable inatten tion to the interest of his partners, and refused to ac company him any farther in the undertaking. Pizarro found means to soothe the indignation of his associates, pretended to transfer to him the commission of Adelan tado, and promised to use his influence with the Spanish court to procure a ratification of this assignment. The three adventurers renewed their contract on its original terms, that each should equally contribute to the ex pense of the enterprise, and equally share in its profits. Pizarro sailed for Peru with a small armament in 1531, and Almagro remained at Panama, in order to collect farther reinforcements. By several remittances from Pizarro, of gold and precious stones, the first fruits of their daring adventure, he was enabled to carry to his aid in the following year, 150 Spanish soldiers, and 50 horses. Scarcely had these two chiefs united their forces, when their former animosities were rekindled, and Pi zarro was made to believe that his colleague had planned a separate expedition ; but Ahnagro discovering that his own secretary had been peculiarly active in exciting these dissensions, put him to death, and quieted the suspicions of Pizarro. Previous to the arrival of Alma gro, Pizarro had treacherously seized the person of Ata balipa, or Atahualapa, the Inca of Peru ; and this prince had collected an immensity of golden vessels as his ran som. The troops, who had come with Almagro, de manded an equal share in the whole spoil, and new treasures were necessary to gratify their avarice, and appease their complaints. These were sought by the most barbarous measures ; and the Peruvian king was put to death, that the riches of his kingdom might be more easily possessed. To secure the countenance and protection of the Spanish government, Pizarro's brother, Ferdinando, was sent to Spain with an account of their success, and with that portion of the plunder which be longed to the king. Almagro embraced this opportunity of soliciting a government independent of Pizarro, and requested that he might be constituted Adelantado of certain countries, beyond the district which had been assigned to his associate. Ferdinando succeeded in all his negotiations ; and Almagro, to whose history we are at present more particularly confined, was loaded with honours, and invested with authority. He was created marquis of Peru, appointed to a jurisdiction 200 leagues in extent, and empowered to make discoveries as he might think proper. New dissensions arose between. the two chiefs, as to the boundaries of their respective provinces, and particularly as to the city of Cusco. Al magro was at length persuaded to withdraw his claims, and to turn his arms against the country of Chili. In
flamed by the exaggerated accounts which he had re ceived of the wealth of that district, he resolved to reach it by the shortest route; crossed the Andes with the utmost difficulty, and with the loss of many of his fol lowers, and, in the space of five months, reduced the greater part of the territories allotted him. In the midst of his conquests, he received the emperor's com mission; and discovered from it, that Cusco was un questionably situated within his department. He re solved to return, without delay, in order to take posses sion of that city ; and he accomplished a march through a burning sandy desert of 200 miles in breadth. In the mean time, Ferdinando Pizarro had received the city of Cusco from his brother, upon condition of making the remittances which had been promised to the court of Spain; and he refused to surrender it without farther instructions. Almagro, however, (whose Irani, and ge nerous conduct, contrasted with the haughty and tyranni cal manners of the Pizarros, had rendered him the fa vourite of the Spanish soldiery, and still more so of the Indian troops,) was enabled to introduce his forces into the city under night, to seize the persons of his oppo nents, and to engage the greater part of the garrison in his service. He defeated and took prisoner Alonzo de Alvarado, who had been despatched by Pizarro with a body of 500 Spanish troops for the defence of Cusco; and, had he not been more attentive to the voice of humanity and justice than his rival, he would have tri umphed in the contest. Ile rejected the barbarous ad vice which was given him, to put to death the two bro thers of Pizarro, who were in his power. He refused to attack Pizarro himself in Lima, because it was not in his province. And he resolved to remain entirely upon the defensive, because he wished to make no encroach ments on the jurisdiction of his opponent, but only to maintain his own. In consequence of this adherence to his duty, and of the deceitful negociations of Pizarro, Almagro abstained from all offensive operations, till his enemy had procured the release of his brothers, had collected an army of 500 men, and had reached the plains of Cusco. Almagro, contrary to his own opinion, was compelled by the importunity of his officers, to leave the city, and to meet Pizarro in the field ; but, worn out by fatigue, enfeebled by age, confined by indisposition to a litter, and unable to direct the arrangement of his troops in person, he was obliged to commit the conduct of the battle to Orgognez, one of his best officers. The engagement was obstinate and bloody ; but, Orgognez being wounded, Almagro was routed and made prisoner. The conquerors committed the greatest barbarities up on their rival countrymen, gratified their private resent ments with savage vengeance, and butchered, in cold blood, the individual objects of their hatred. Ahnagro was kept several months in confinement, uncertain of his fate. He was at length brought to trial, charged with high treason, and condemned to suffer death. In vain did he implore the clemency of his judges, and appeal to the tribunal of the emperor. The Pizarros were bent upon the destruction of Almagro, as their only rival in Peru. He was first strangled in private, and then be headed publicly on a scaffold ; his body stripped naked, and left exposed in the streets. His friends were all in custody, and his enemies were destitute of humanity. An aged slave at length carried away the remains of his master, and buried them at the hazard of his own life. In this manner did Almagro terminate his adventurous career, in the 75th year of his age. He cannot be ac quitted from the heavy charge of blood, which lies against all the conquerors of South America ; but he had more of the feelings of a man than the rest of his associates. Equal to any of them in point of an enter prising spirit, and military skill, he surpassed them all in generosity and good faith. His friends, whom he en gaged by the frankness and liberality of his conduct, deeply regretted his fall ; and the Indians, whom he had often protected from the rigour and rapacity of the other commanders, honoured his ashes with tears of unfeigned sorrow. Mod. Un. Hied. vol. xxxviii. p. 289 366. Robertson's America. (q)