ALPHONSO, or Ai.oxso V., surnamed the ilkgnani mous, succeeded his father Ferdinand the Just, in the kingdom of Arragon, in the year 1416. In the begin ning of his reign, he was harassed by pope Benedict 5111., who declared him a schismatic, and unworthy of his regal dignity ; but, notwithstanding this treatment, he generously permitted a supply of provisions to be furnished to that Pontiff, when he was reduced to great straits in the fortress of Pensacola. At the same time, he discovered a conspiracy among several of his nobility against his life : and with equal magnanimity, he tore to pieces a paper which contained the names of the con spirators without reading it ; and contented himself with saying, that he would at least force them to ac knowledge, that he had a greater regard for their lives than they had for his. lie went to Sardinia, and com posed the commotions which prevailed in that country; and then proceeded to conduct an expedition into Sicily. While he was preparing, Joan, queen of Naples, solicited his assistance against the pope, the duke of Anjou, and the constable Sforza, promising to adopt him as her SOD and heir, and to give him immediate possession of the dutchy of Calabria. Alphonso accepted the propo sal ; sent a body of troops to her relief ; raised the siege of her capital; and was immediately declared duke of Calabria, and heir apparent to the throne of Naples. But his successes in her service rendered her suspicious of his power. She took measures to revoke her adop tion of him as her heir ; and even formed a design against his life. This occasioned a civil war between them, in the course of which the queen was driven from her capital. Alphonso, leaving his brother Don Pedro as his viceroy in Naples, embarked for Arragon ; and in his way, took possession of Marseilles, which belonged to the duke of Anjou. 1Iis soldiers pillaged the town ; but he placed a guard for the protection of the ladies, who had taken refuge in the churches. They offered him in return, a valuable present out of the jewels which they had saved ; but lie declined accepting it ; and said, that he revenged the injuries which he had received as a prince, but did not conic there for plunder. The duke of Anjou having overrun the greater part of Naples, the queen made-a second application to Alphonso for as sistance ; and he prepared for another expedition to Italy. In the mean time, driven, it is said, by the too well-founded jealousy of his queen, to dissipate his cares in action, he made a successful attack upon the king of Tunis ; took and garrisoned the island of Gerbes ; and retired to Sicily. In 1434, he landed in Italy, and made himself master of Capua. He then besieged the for
tress of Gaeta, which was held for the duke of Milan, and the republic of Genoa. While the siege was going on, the women and children were sent out of tow!' to save the provisions ; and Alphonso was advised to drive them back again as a sure method of reducing the garri son to surrender. But he relieved and dismissed than with this generous speech, " that lie had MUCH radio lose any city in his dominions than the reputation of humanity." In a desperate engagement with the Ge noese fleet, which was sent to relieve Gaeta, Alphoitso lost all his ships, and was himsell made prisoner by the duke of Milan. By this prince he was treated with much magnificence and respect, and soon himself so much in his favour, that the duke b, c sine his friend and ally. He was dismissed from Milan with great honours, and without ransom ; received the Hoist liberal support from his hereditary dominions ; rendered himself absolute master of Naples in 1443; and resided in that kingdom during the remainder of his life. I lis declining years were embittered by the intrigues and contentions of his friends ; and he was particularly so much affected by the ingratitude of his nephew Don Carlos, prince of Viana, that he fell into a and died in 1458, in the 43d year of his reign. lIe was an able statesman, and the most gallant commander of his age. Ile conducted his political transactions without cunning, and his wars cruelty. lie was also a distinguished patron of learning, and used to say, that "an unlettered king was but a crowned ass." It was another of his sayings, that " the dead," that is books. " were the best counsellors of the living, because they told the simple truth without fear or shame-, unmoved by hatred or favour," When he was at war with the republic of Genoa, he happened to find a Genoese sol dier lying dead on the shore : he immediately called his attendants, and humanely assisted them in burying the body. When his treasurer was giving him 10,000 ducats, he overheard an officer saying, " I should only wish that sum, to make me happy :" You shall be happy," said the king, and commanded the money to be given to him. He possessed many and great virtues ; and the vices which he had, regarded his private rather than his public life. An irregular intercourse with the fair sex was his principal failing, and the source of many of his distresses ; but lie died, it is said, with great marks of penitence, and was unquestionably the greatest king that ever reigned in Arragon. See /11ad. Un. Hist. vol. xxi. p. (q)