House of Méndez de Sotomayor

The Méndez de Sotomayor branch of the family made it into the service of the Kingdom of Castile and participated in the Reconquista campaigns in Cordoba.

The house was founded by Don Men Paez Sorred, a Ricohombre of Alfonso VII of Castile.

By the mid 13th century, Ferdinand III of Castile was involved in a series of Reconquista campaigns against the Caliphate of Córdoba and other minor Christian and Moorish territories in the area around El Carpio, Andalucía, Province of Córdoba as a part of his campaign for Alcocer (Al-Qusayr).

Heavily involved in the fighting, the House of Sotomayor was awarded much of the land principally in the area around El Carpio.

The tower and its surrounding fortifications would serve as the center of administration for the Señorio and the Marquesado of Carpio until the title became associated with the Dukes of Alba.