_Conspiracy of the Almagrians and Assassination of Pizarro_.
On his return to Quito in 1541, Gonzalo Pizarro received accounts of the
most afflicting nature. When, as formerly related, Don Diego Almagro was
put to death at Cuzco by Ferdinand Pizarro, a son whom Almagro had by an
Indian woman was sent to reside in Lima. This young man, who was named
after his father Diego Almagro, was of a graceful appearance, handsome,
generous, and excelling in all the martial exercises, being particularly
graceful and dexterous in riding the manage horse. His literary education
likewise had been so carefully attended to, that he was considered as more
versant in these things than his situation required. Juan de Herrada,
formerly mentioned, to whose care he had been especially confided by his
father, undertook the care of educating young Almagro in the capacity of
his governor, and had been particularly watchful and successful in the
charge. Their house in Lima was the rendezvous of such friends and
partizans of the late Almagro as remained unemployed in Peru, and had been
excepted from the division of lands and Indians after the defeat of their
party, as the adherents of the Pizarros would not, and their dependents
dared not to have any intercourse with them.
After the voyage of Ferdinand Pizarro to Spain, and the setting out of
Gonzalo Pizarro upon his disastrous discovery of Los Canelos, Herrada and
the younger Almagro, being now left at entire liberty by the Marquis, who
before had held them in a species of imprisonment, began to take measures
for the execution of an enterprize they had long contemplated. For this
purpose they secretly provided arms and every thing that appeared
necessary for their project of revenging the death of the elder Almagro.
Their partizans were farther animated to the accomplishment of this design
from resentment for the death of several of their friends and companions,
who had been cut off during the late civil war. The marquis had often used
his endeavours to reconcile Almagro and Herrada to his authority by gentle
means, and by the offer of his friendship and patronage to them and their
adherents; but finding all his advances ineffectual, he deprived Almagro
of the moderate repartition of Indians which had been assigned to him, on
purpose to prevent him from continuing to form a party by the application
of his fortune to the support of the malcontents. All these precautions
were ultimately ineffectual, as the Almagrians were so closely united
among themselves, that all their property was in a great measure held
common among the members of their party, even every thing that the
individuals acquired by play or otherwise being thrown into a common stock
in the hands of Herrada to serve their general expence. Their numbers
increased daily, by the accession of all who were dissatisfied by the
administration of the marquis, or who thought their merits overlooked in
the distribution of property and employments. They secretly increased
their store of arms, and took measures for securing the success of their
plot.
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