LUNA, loo'na, Alvaro de, Spanish poet, constable and leading spirit of the reign of John II: b. 1388; executed Valladolid, 22 June 1453. A natural son of Alvaro de Luna, a rich Spanish noble, he was nephew of the famous "anti-pope" Benedict XIII and near relative of the Count of Morala and the Marquis of Vilu efia. He was sent to the court, while still a boy, by his uncle, the bishop of Toledo (1408). There he soon became page to John II, who conceived a great affection for him; and he became a general favorite at court, especially among the ladies. While scarcely of age he began to exercise a strong influence at court partially through the liking of the king for him, and partially through the royal high majordomo. Juan Hurtado de Mendoza, son in-law of the king. Luna followed the progress of John II from place to place and to his standard flocked young men of the highest rank to bask in the sun of the favorite of the sover eign. The infante, Don Enrique, rose against the king and seized him and Luna; but the latter, with the help of friends, succeeded in freeing himself and the king (1420), whom he afterwards strove to make independent of the infante and the nobles who supported him. To this end he gathered about him a strong party which stood for the maintenance of royal power and fidelity to the ruling sovereign. The infante, Enrique, and his party were driven from the court. The property of the most conspicuous of the followers of the infante was confiscated, among these being the powerful hidalgo Ruy Lopez Diivalos. This confiscated property was divided among the followers of the king; and, as the leader of these, Luna ob tained great wealth, including several castles and the title of Count San Esteban, to which was added that of high constable, a position which gave him control of the royal forces and empowered him to look after the security of the sovereign's person. Next to the king, he was, therefore, all powerful; so powerful indeed that he dared to imprison the infante. In 1425, through the influence of his enemies, the king was forced to exile Luna from the court. But, during his absence of a year and a half, the unsettled condition of the country grew rapidly and steadily worse; and finally Luna was re called, with great rejoicing. But civil war
broke out between the different independent principalities of Spain. In the attempt to re store order and to defend the interests of the king Luna took a very prominent part. He made several successful campaigns and captured a number of strongly fortified towns. In 1430 a truce for five years was concluded. Luna at once set out on a war expedition against Granada, then a Moorish stronghold, and, de feating the enemy several times, he reached the outskirts of the capital (Granada). When vic tory was in sight he was forced to retire owing to trouble in his own forces, and personal ill ness. Again in 1431, with additional forces, he invaded Granada, conquered numerous towns and laid waste the land in the name of his sovereign, John II of Castile. Notwithstanding these brilliant military successes, Luna's enemies at home constantly conspired against him for the next 20 years. After a while their hands were strengthened by the support of the second wife of John II, who finally succeeded in poi soning the mind of the king against his favorite, who was finally arrested at Burgos, tried and condemned to be beheaded at Valladolid. Among his other great talents, Alvaro de Luna was a poet of no mean order and a great friend of the troubadours. His songs are graceful and harmonious and often beautiful. He has a good command of language and the quick and sensitive imagination of the poet. He was one of the most finished musicians of his age; and the touch of the musician is seen in his poetry. But his prose, which possesses the harmony of the poet, is stronger than his poetry. His 'Librode las claras E virtuosos mujeres' is a stout defense of the fair sex. The work is divided into three books. These treat, respec tively, of the women of the Bible, the pagan women and the Christian women. The style of this work is simple; and the great number of references which it contains from sacred and profane history credit the author with a wide historical knowledge for his age. Consult Ticknor, 'History of Spanish (New York 1854) ; 'The Chronicle of Alvaro de Luna' (Madrid 1784) ; 'Chronicle of John II); Quintana, Jose, 'Vidas de espafioles celebres) (Vol. XIX, Biblioteca de Autores Espafioles).