of 50 of the most celebrated astronomers of that age. His improved tables, still known under the name of the Alfonsine Tables, were completed in 1252. See Alfonsine Tables.
ALFONSO I. OF Naples and Sicily. See Al-
fonso V. of Aragon.
ALFONSO I. (?-1134). Kin? of Xavarre
and Aragon, who succeeded Pedro I., in 1104.
His marriage with Urraca, heir of Alfonso VI.,
of Leon and Castile, brought that kingdom un-
der his swajo Misunderstandings soon arose with
Urraca, and a divorce was granted. Alfonso,
however, continued to fight against Castile, thus
prolonging the final strife with the Jloors. He
was called "emperor" and "fighter;" the latter
name he won by Iiis victories over the Jloors. In
1114 he began the siege of Saragossa. which he
captured tour years later. In 1120 he slew
20,000 Moors on the field of Daroca. In 112.3 he
invaded A'alcncia, and two years later he went
to the aid of the Christian Moors in Andalusia.
In 1130 he crossed the Pyrenees and captured
Bordeaux and Bayonne. "in 1133 he besieged
Fraga on the Cinca. The contest was long and
severe, bringing from Africa 10,000 Almoravides.
Finally, however, the Christians were defeated.
Alfonso died in 1134.
ALFONSO (Port. Affonso) 1. f 1109-85). Fir.st
King of Portugal, son of Henry of Burgundy,
conqueror and Count of Portugal. His father
died when he was about two years old. and
the management of affairs fell into the hands
of his ambitious and dissolute mother, Theresa
of Castile, from whom he was compelled to take
it by force on attaining his majority. He was
forced into war with Castile, whose supremacy
he did not recognize. He then attacked the
Moors and won a brilliant victory on the plains
of Ourique (1139) , Avhere, according to the legend,
200,000 Moors perished. From that day lie took
the title of king. He was crowned by itlie abbot
of Larvao, and the coronation was sanctioned by
the Pope in 1169. On October 23, 1147, he took
Lisbon, with the aid of some English crusaders
under William Longsword, on their way to the
Holy Land. The booty was so rich that most of
the Crusaders returned home. In 1 158, after a
two months' siege, he became master of Alcazar
de Sal. He took by assault the fortress of San-
tarem from the Saracens, in 1171, and annihil-
ated the garrison: at the same place he defeated
the Almohade ruler, Jusef-ben-Jakub, in 1184.
He invited to his land the Knights Templars and
the Knights of St. John, and established the Or-
ders of Avis and of St. Michael. He died at
Coimbra, December 6, 1185.
ALFONSO V. (1432-Sl). King of Portugal,
surriamed "(ho African," in honor of his victo-
ries over the Moors in .■lgiers. At his father's
death, in 1438, there was a fierce struggle for the
regency between the Queen Mother and the uncles
of the King. Finally the Queen was defeated and
his uncle Pedro became regent. In 1448 Alfonso
assumed the government, declared his uncle a
rebel, and defeated him in battle. After a cam-
paign in .Africa. Alfonso undertook to seize upon
Castile and Leon, but was defeated at Toro. Al-
fonso endeavored 1o get assistance from the King
of France, but, finding that he was being de-
ceived, he abdicated in favor of his son, .Tuan, in
1470. He was forced, liowcvcr. to ascend the
throne again. In 1479 he signed the treaty of
Alcantara with Castile. In 1481 he died of the
plague. He founded the Order of the Tower and
Sword under the invocation of San Diego. In
his reign the explorations of the Portuguese
along the western coast of Africa were pushed
beyond the equator. As a patron of literature lie
was the first Portuguese king to collect a library,
and also the first to have national history
treated by competent writers.
ALFONSO V. (1385-1458). King of Aragon,
Naples, and Sicily. He reigned from 1416 to
1458, receiving the surname "Jlagnanimous,"
because on his accession to the throne he de-
stroyed a document containing the names of all
the grandees who were hostile to him. He
is renowned chiefly for having brought southern
Italy under the dominion of Aragon. In 1420 he
attacked Corsica, but speedily hastened to
Naples at the request of Queen Joanna II.. who
in return for his assistance against Louis of
Anjou named him as her heir. For some time
he enjoyed her highest favor; but in 1423, hav-
ing thrown into prison her minion, Caraceiolo,
who was his enemy, the Queen declared for his
rival, Louis. At her death, in 1435, Alfonso re-
solved to claim the kingdom; but Rene of Anjou,
whom Joanna had appointed her successor after
the death of Louis, opposed him. Rome and
Genoa sided with Rene. The Genoese fleet in-
flicted a most serious defeat upon the Aragonese
fleet, and Alfonso was captured. He was sent to
the Duke of Milan, who. charmed by his man-
ner and talent, set him at liberty, and even formed
an alliance with him. After several battles Al-
fonso overthrew his adversary and entered Naples
in triumph. Having once firmly established his
power, he proceeded to suppress the disorders
which had sprung up during the reign of Joanna,
and honorably distinguished himself bj' his p.at-
ronage of letters. He died at Naples, .Tune 27,
1458, while his troops were besieging Genoa.
ALFONSO VI. (1643-83). King of Portugal.
An incapable and dissolute prince, who drove his
mother, the regent, from court, and put the su-
preme power into the hands of a worthless favor-
ite, Count Castel-Mellior. His wife, whom he
neglected, conspired with his brother, Dom Pedro,
against him. Alfonso was dethroned and im-
prisoned il668). and Dom Pedro took his place
as King of Portugal, and, after the death of
Alfonso, as husband of his queen.
ALFONSO XII. (1857-85). King of Spain.
The son of the deposed Queen Isabella II. He
was born at Madrid and was proclaimed king
December 30, 1874. On January 23, 1878, he
married Princess Maria de las Mercedes (young-
est daughter of the Due de Montpensier) , who
died soon after. In 1879 he married Archduchess
Maria Christina of Austria, by whom he had
three children. Returning from an informal
visit to Germany, 1883, he was pulilicly insulted
in Paris, and war with France was for a few days
thought probable. Alfonso gave Spain a just and
firm government, but vainly tried to reconcile
the numerous factions into which the country
was divided. His posthumous child, Alfonso
XIII.. succeeded him.
ALFONSO XIII. (1886—). King of Spain. He was born May 17, 1886, the postiiumous son of Alfonso XII. and of Maria Christina, Archduchess of Austria, who was appointed regent during his minority. The reign of the young King has been marked by mutinies abroad, while
at home dissatisfaction has found e.xpression in
