Íñigo López de Mendoza, 1st Count of Tendilla facts for kids
Íñigo López de Mendoza (born in 1419, died on February 17, 1479, in Tendilla, province of Guadalajara, Spain) was an important Spanish nobleman. He was the second son of a famous Spanish poet and nobleman, Íñigo López de Mendoza y Lasso de la Vega, who was the Marquis of Santillana.
Íñigo had two well-known brothers. One was Diego Hurtado de Mendoza, 1. duque of l'Infantado, who became the first Duke of the Infantado. His other brother was Pedro González de Mendoza, who became an Archbishop and Cardinal. People at the time even called Pedro "the third king of Spain" because he was so influential!
Íñigo married a lady from León named Elvira de Quiñones. He was a brave fighter from a young age. In 1438, when he was just 19, he fought in the conquest of Huelma. This was a town in the Nasri kingdom of Granada, which was a Muslim kingdom in southern Spain. Huelma was close to the Christian lands of Jaén. Later, in 1445, he also fought in the First Battle of Olmedo.
When his father, the first Marquis of Santillana, passed away in 1458, Íñigo received several villages. These included Tendilla, Aranzueque, Armuña de Tajuña, and Fuentelviejo. In 1470, he was given the title of Lord (or "Señor") of Huete. He also bought Loranca de Tajuña in 1475 from the Count of Medinaceli. This was around the time that Queen Isabel I of Castile and King Fernando II de Aragón were ruling Spain.
Íñigo's Children
Íñigo López de Mendoza and Elvira de Quiñones had two sons:
- Íñigo López de Mendoza y Quiñones (born in Guadalajara, Castile, around 1440 – died in the Alhambra Palace in Granada, Spain, on July 20, 1515). He later became the Marquis of Mondéjar in 1512.
- Diego Hurtado de Mendoza y Quiñones, who became the Archbishop of Sevilla (from 1485 to 1502).
These names, Íñigo and Diego, were very common in the Mendoza family for many centuries. It can sometimes be a bit confusing because so many family members shared the same names!
About His Eldest Son
Íñigo's eldest son, also named Íñigo López de Mendoza y Quiñones, inherited half of the village of Mondéjar from his mother, Elvira de Quiñones. This village was in the province of Guadalajara.
This eldest son later became the Governor of the Alhambra Palace in Granada after it was conquered by the Christians. For a few years, he was quite fair to the Spanish Muslims who lived there. In 1512, King Fernando II of Aragón gave him the title of Marquis of Mondéjar. This title was named after the village his mother had brought into the family.
It's important not to confuse this Íñigo López de Mendoza y Quiñones (who became the first Marquis of Mondéjar) with his cousin, Íñigo López de Mendoza y Luna, 2nd Duke of the Infantado (1438–1500).
Later on, there were other important family members with similar names, like Íñigo López de Mendoza, 4th Duke of the Infantado (1493–1566) and his grandson, Íñigo López de Mendoza, 5th Duke of the Infantado (1536–1601).
See also
In Spanish: Íñigo López de Mendoza y Figueroa para niños
