Rodrigo Díaz de Vivar y Mendoza

Rodrigo Díaz de Vivar y Mendoza, (c. 1466, Guadalajara – February 22, 1523, Valencia) was a Spanish noble of the House of Mendoza. He was the firstborn son of the powerful Cardinal Pedro González de Mendoza and went on to become the 1st Conde del Cid and the 1st Marquis of Cenete, a title he held from 1491 until his death.

He was the firstborn son of Cardinal Pedro González de Mendoza and Mencía de Lemos and a member of the powerful House of Mendoza family. He was schooled by his father and his uncle Diego Hurtado de Mendoza y Quiñones. He was the brother of Diego Hurtado de Mendoza, 1st Count of Melito.

Rodrigo began his military career in the Granada War under the command of his uncle, Íñigo López de Mendoza y Quiñones, the 2nd Count of Tendilla.

In 1492, Rodrigo married Leonor de le Cerda in a secret wedding. They would go on to live in the Castle of Jadraque which belonged to her family. After her death in 1497, he went to Italy where he became familiar with the architecture of the Italian Renaissance.

After he returned to Spain, he married a second time with María de Fonseca y Toledo, ignoring the express wishes of the Isabella I of Castile who forbade the marriage. As punishment, he was incarcerated until the death of the queen in 1504.

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