ALPHONSO, or ALONSO III. king of Portugal, was appointed regent by the pope, during the life of his bro ther Sancho, in 1245; and succeeded him on the throne in 1248, in the 38th year of his age. Though he had employed many dishonourable means to seduce the sub jects of his brother from their allegiance, and had bribed several of his governors to surrender their charges into his hands; yet, as soon as he became king of Portugal, he shewed no regard to those, who had thus served him at the expense of their honour, hut received into his favour and councils, all who had remained faithful to his predecessor. He made consider able conquests from the Moors, and acted with great prudence and address in the administration of his internal affairs. He enacted several useful laws, reformed a multitude of abuses, and restrained the factious and licentious. Ile married Donna Beatrix, the natural daughter of Alphonso, the wise king of Leon and Castile ; but on account of several irregularities attending this match, pope Alexander IV. put his kingdom under an interdict. Upon the death of his first queen, whom he had divorced for sterility, pope Urban IV. removed the interdict, and legitimated the children of Donna Beatrix. By means of commissioners, he settled with the king of Castile the boundaries of their respective dominions; and at length, upon a visit to that prince, who was his father-in-law, he had the ad dress to obtain an exemption of the crown of Portugal from all homage to that of Castile. Encouraged by his
successes, he proceeded to extend the authority of the crown, and obliged the clergy to contribute to the ex penses of the state. This rekindled former disputes, and by the influence of Martin, archbishop of Braga, the kingdom was again put under an interdict in 1268. Alphon,o amused the court of Rome with fruitless ne gotiations; hut in the mean time, received the cardinals rind legates came to Portugal, with the utmost magnificence and respect. At length, a short time be fore his death, he made a full submission to the church, received absolution, and died in 1279, in the 69th year of his age, and 31st of his reign. lle left the kingdom of Portugal greatly augmented and improved. Ile had repaired old cities, and lounded new ones ; erected churches, and endowed convents. if e particularly pro ved himself the friend of the poor; provided many things for their advantage ; and, in a time of scarcity, he even pawned his crown to supply them with food. Ile was a prince who punished severely, and rewarded generously ; who acted the politician as far as was neces sary, but at other times was frank and engaging in his manners; who affected magnificence when his revenues would permit, but observed economy when his affairs required it ; and who would have left behind him an un blemished reputation, had he treated his brother with greater gentleness and justice. Mod. Un. Hist. vol. xxii. p. 51-59. (q)