CUEVA, Beatriz de la (kway'-vah), wife of Pedro de Alvarado, the conqueror of Guatemala, born in Spain early in the 16th century; died in the City of Guatemala, 11 September 1541. When Alvarado returned to Central America, after his second voyage to Spain in 1539, he had married there Dona Beatriz, a sister of his first wife, Dona Francisca de la Cueva, who died in Vera Cruz in 1530. In 1540 Alvarado was engaged in several expeditions in Mexico, and while crossing the mountains was killed by a fall of his horse early in July 1541. When this news reached Guatemala, the municipal council elected Dora Beatriz to succeed her bus-band in the government; but on the day following her inauguration she perished, with many other people, during the terrible earthquakes and floods that destroyed the City, 11 September 1541. Ever since she has been generally called "Dona Beatriz la sin ventura" (Dona Beatriz, the unfortunate).