Francisco de Mendoza

Francisco López de Mendoza y Mendoza (Granada, 1547 – Madrid, 1 March 1623), in the literature often simply referred to as Francisco de Mendoza, was a Spanish nobleman, diplomat, general, and eventually bishop, who briefly played an important role in the Eighty Years' War. Biography Youth and personal life Mendoza was the third son of Iñigo López de Mendoza y Mendoza, 3rd Marquess of Mondéjar, and María de Mendoza y Aragón, daughter of Íñigo López de Mendoza, 4th Duke of the Infantado. At the time of his birth his father was Captain general of the viceroyalty of Granada in the old kingdom of Andalusia, that had been only recently (1492) definitively conquered. He was also Alcalde of the Alhambra, the presumptive birthplace of Francisco. Around the age of fifteen Francisco started his studies in the Classics at the University of Alcalá and in philosophy at the University of Salamanca. These studies were interrupted when he joined his father during the latter's embassy to the Holy See in 1560–1562. In 1568 he again joined his father when the latter was entrusted with the suppression of the Rebellion of the Alpujarras (1568–71), as a captain. He was awarded the encomienda (landed estate) of Valdepeñas, one of the commanderies of the Order of Calatrava, of which he had been a knight since age 12, in recognition of his service. Mendoza continued working for his father in administrative positions during his father's appointments as Viceroy of first Valencia (1572-1575) and later of Naples (1575-1579) In March 1584 Mendoza married by proxy (represented by Juan de Zuñiga) María Ruiz de Liori Colón and Cardona, the daughter of Sancho Folch de Cardona, 1st Marquess of Guadalest. Cardona did not have a male heir, so he made one of the provisions of the marriage contract that Mendoza would adopt his wife's surname Cardona, and crest, during the marriage. When Cardona soon after died, Maria inherited the title, and Mendoza became Marquess of Guadelest de jure uxoris. Cardona had also been Almirante de Aragón, which title his daughter (and hence Mendoza) also inherited. For that reason Mendoza was henceforth known as the "Admiral of Aragon", though he never held a naval command.