ALPHONSO, or ALONSO IV. king of Portugal, sur named the Brave, succeeded his father Don Denis in 1524, in the 34th year of his age. While he was heir apparent, he had repeatedly rebelled against his father; and had conducted himself with much violence and ob stinacy. When he got possession of the crown, he thought himself at liberty to act as he pleased ; and pursued his pleasures without controul. Hunting was his favourite amusement, and he spent the greater part of his time in the forests of Cintra, while the affairs of government were wholly neglected. At length, return ing to Lisbon, and entering into his council, he proceed ed, with much frankness and spirit, to give a detail of his sports, during the preceding month. When he had concluded his report, one of his counsellors, a person of the first rank, rose up and reminded him, " that kings were designed for courts and camps, not for woods and deserts ; that, as they are public characters, a whole na tion suffers when they prefer recreation to business; that they were now assembled for other purposes than to hear of exploits, which could be agreeable and intel ligible only to grooms and falconers ; that if he would attend to the interests of his people, lie would find them obedient subjects, but if not"—here the prince, starting with passion, exclaimed, " If not, what then?" "If not," continued the nobleman, in the same firm tone of voice, " they must look for another and a better king." At this Alphonso lost all patience, expressed his resentment in the strongest terms, and left the council in a trans port of rage. But, after reflecting with himself, he re turned composed, and expressed himself thus : " I per ceive the truth of what you have said. He cannot long have subjects who will not be a king. Remember, that from this day, you have nothing more to do with Al phonso the sportsman, but with Alphonso king of Por tugal." He kept his resolution ; and as he was pos sessed of good sense as well as great spirit, he entered into the knowledge and discharge of his regal duties. He shewed respect to the memory of his father ; punished the crimes of some of his former favourites : and promoted those who had most keenly opposed him. But with all his good qualities, he could not overcome the unreasonable aversion which he had conceived against his natural brother Don Alonso Sanchez ; and notwithstanding the respectful behaviour of Sanchez, he persisted in treating him as a traitor, till he drove him to rebellion ; but at length, by the interposition of his mother Donna Isabella, he recalled his brother, and re ceived him into favour. Ilis daughter, Donna Maria,
was married about this time to Alonso XL king of Cas tile ; but as she was tia atecl with great indignity by that prince, her lather interposed in her behalf. After long altercations and reciprocal injuries, the two princes came to an open rupture ; and the subjects of both kingdoms were exposed to the miseries of war for the space of 12 years. At length a peace was concluded ; and the kings of Portugal and Castile, uniting their forces, carried on war with great success against the Moors. Don Pedro, prince of Portugal, after the death of his first wile, had privately married Donna Agnes de Castro, the daughter of a Castilian gentleman, who had taken refuge in the Portuguese court. Alphonso,through the instigations of his counsellors, and his own impetu ous passions, cruelly issued orders for the murder of this princess ; and was so infatuated, as to avow and vindicate the deed. His son, enraged by his barbarous conduct, broke out into open rebellion; but Alphonso, who was easily made sensible of his errors, and who was always earnest to repair them, brought about a submis sion on the part of the prince, and used every method hi his power to effect a complete reconciliation. As Al phonso advanced in years, he employed himself in va rious acts of charity and piety, in redressing grievances throughout. his dominions, in establishing laws for the suppression of vice, and in dictating proper maxims for the government of the kingdom. He laboured anxiously to remove from the mind of his son, all remaining re sentment, on account of the injury which he had sus tained ; and in order to prevent any acts of revenge after his death, he presented sums of money to the three courtiers, who had both prompted and perpetrated the bloody deed, and enjoined them to retire into Castile. He died in A. D. 1357, in the 67th year of his age, and 32d of his reign. He has been called, with troth, "an undutiful son, an unnatural brother, and a cruel father ;" but in other respects, he was a great man and a good king; brave and successful in war, strict in the admi nistration of justice, tender of property, attentive to the public welfare, a friend to industry, and attached to his subjects as his children. But though he secured their respect by the use he made of his power, he could not conciliate their affection to his person. See Mod. Un.
vol. xxii, p. 70-84. (yr)