Alonso de Alvarado

Who was Alonso de Alvarado?

Alonso de Alvarado Montaya González de Cevallos y Miranda was a Spanish conquistador and knight of the Order of Santiago.

He was born at Secadura, now part of Voto, Cantabria. After a period in Mexico under the orders of Hernán Cortés, he joined the campaign of Francisco Pizarro.

He went to Peru with Pedro de Alvarado in search of gold in 1534. There he fought against the armies of Manco Inca Yupanqui that were besieging Lima in 1536, against Diego de Almagro in 1537 and at the Battle of Las Salinas in 1538. He later fought at Chupas and Jaquijahuana.

While charged by some contemporaries with avarice and cruelty, it is undeniable that during the period of civil wars in Peru Alvarado was an unflinching and determined adherent to the interests of the Spanish crown. He always sided with those whom he thought to be sincere representatives of the crown, and it was not always profitable and safe to be on that side. Thus in 1537, he commanded the troops of Pizarro's followers, when Diego de Almagro claimed the mythical Inca city of Cuzco.