Albuquerque

Collier's New Encyclopedia (1921)

AFFONSO D' (al'bö-kārk'e), "the Great," Viceroy of the Indies, was born in 1453, near Lisbon. In that age, the Portuguese people were distinguished for heroism and a spirit ALCÆUS of adventure. They had discovered and subjugated a great part of the western coast of Africa, and were beginning to extend their dominion over the seas and the people of India. Albuquerque was appointed Viceroy of Portugal's new possessions in the east and landed at Malabar with troops in 1503. Conquered Goa, and later Ceylon, the Sunda Isles, Malaccas, and the island of Ormuz. He made the Portuguese name profoundly respected among the princes and people of the East; and many of them, especially the Kings of Siam and Pegu, sought his alliance and protection. He maintained strict military discipline, was active, farseeing, wise, humane, and equitable, respected and feared by his neighbors while beloved by his subjects. Yet he did not escape the envy of courtiers and the suspicions of his kin king, who appointed Soarez, a personal enemy of Albuquerque, to supersede him as Viceroy. This news reached him just as he was leaving Ormuz, and gave a severe shock to his shattered health. A few days after, he died at sea near Goa, Dec. 16, 1515. or al-sē'us), a ALCÆUS (al-kī'us Greek lyric poet; native of Mitylene; flourished in the 6th century B. c. Of his poems we have only fragments; some were hymns to the gods, others battle songs, still others were in praise of liberty; very many were love songs of pronounced erotic character. ALCALA DE HENARES (al-ka-lä' de ā-när-ās), a town in Spain, Cervantes' birthplace, on the Henares, 21 miles E. of Madrid by rail. It once boasted of a university, founded by the famous Cardinal Ximenes in 1510. Here was printed in 1517 the great Complutensian Bible. The chief buildings are the Colegio de San Ildefonso, the archbishop's palace, the cathedral, and the Church of Santa Maria, in which Cervantes was baptized, Oct. 9, 1547. The house in which he was born is marked by an inscription. The Complutum am of the Romans, the town owes its modern name to the Moors. Pop. about 12,000.