Álvaro Yáñez de Lugo y Monterroso was a 15th-century Spanish nobleman from the house of Lugo in Galicia. He was a doncel in the royal court, later a knight and señor in Medina del Campo, royal chamberlain in Castile and royal scribe in Galicia. In his later years, he forged official documents with the help of a scribe, whom he killed. Despite his pleas, he was sentenced to die by Isabella I of Castile, an event which has been widely reported as idiosyncratic of the Queen's personality.[1][2] In that context, Yáñez has been described as "a member of the petty nobility whose ancient responsibility for local justice the Monarchs sough to suppress".[2] His illegitimate son was conquistadorFrancisco de Lugo.
In his later years, he was discovered to have committed forgery by asking a scribe to falsify official documents. He had then murdered the scribe and buried him in his house.[2] For his crimes, he was sentenced to death by the Queen of Castile, Isabella I. He offered 40,000 doblas in exchange for a commutation of his sentence. Although her counsellors advised her to accept the plea, Isabella did not.[1] De Lugo was executed and his lands, titles and possessions were inherited by his legitimate children. The event is described in Hernando del Pulgar's Crónica de los Reyes Católicos.[1][2]
Family
He was married to Juana Gutiérrez de Montalvo y Bobadilla and had several children. His official successor was Antonio de Lugo Rivera y Guzmán.[3] Yáñez de Lugo's illegitimate son was Francisco de Lugo, a conquistador who fought alongside Hernán Cortés and died in Veracruz in 1532.[4]