A lebrel with cropped ears. That is the curious symbol associated with Álvaro Pais. Here before us stands the Álvaro Pais Statue a memorial to a man of noted importance. Let’s unravel his story together.
Álvaro Pais was no ordinary man. He was a key figure in 14th-century Portugal. Born around 1330 he rose to become a royal official. He died around 1390.
Álvaro Pais served King Fernando I as his Chancellor-Mor. This means he was the head of the royal chancery. More than that he was a staunch supporter of the Master of Avis.
The Master of Avis later became King João I. Álvaro Pais played a pivotal role in his rise to power. This was during the Crisis of 1383-1385 a turbulent time in Portuguese history.
Fernão Lopes a chronicler of the time described Álvaro Pais as an honorable man of good fortune. King Fernando I rewarded him for his services. Álvaro Pais was not a commoner. He was part of Lisbon’s noble class.
Álvaro Pais lived near the Fernandina Wall. This wall defended Lisbon. His tower bore his name a testament to his prominence.
Álvaro Pais was instrumental in the events that led to the Master of Avis becoming king. It is said that Álvaro Pais instigated the assassination of João Fernandes Andeiro. Andeiro was the Count of Ourém. Álvaro Pais convinced the Master of Avis to take power.
Álvaro Pais even gave him a famous piece of advice. “Give what is not yours promise what you do not have and forgive those who have not harmed you”.
After his death Álvaro Pais was buried in the Campo de São Domingos. His tomb was marked with his coat of arms. It featured a lebrel or hunting dog with cropped ears and a collar. The colors and metals of the arms are now unknown.
Álvaro Pais had an interesting family life. He married twice. His first wife was Leonor Geraldes. They had a son named Diogo Álvares Pais. Diogo married Inês Álvares de Monterroso and had many descendants.
His second marriage was to Sentil Esteves. Sentil had a son from a previous relationship. This son was Dr. João das Regras. Dr. João das Regras became a key defender of the Master of Avis’s claim to the throne.
Álvaro Pais recommended Dr. João das Regras as his replacement as Chancellor. Sentil Esteves died in Lisbon in 1390.
Before her death Sentil made her will. She left her inheritance to her son Dr. João Afonso also known as João das Regras. She named her son and her husband Álvaro Pais as executors.
Sentil requested that Sancho Martins a servant of Álvaro Pais be chaplain of her ancestors’ chapel.
The Álvaro Pais Statue stands as a reminder of a man who shaped Portuguese history. He was a royal official a political advisor and a family man. His legacy lives on in the chronicles of the time and in this statue that commemorates his life.