Rodrigo Álvarez

A sign of his landed wealth is given by the properties he held at Buján, Fafián, Goon, and Levasser, which he at one point mortgaged for 200 maravedíes.

He and his brother Vermudo also came to own lands on the river Esla in the province of León, probably through their mother's second marriage to the Leonese count Pedro Alfonso.

[2] After the death of his father in January 1167 he was given the title Count, the highest rank in the kingdom, and received the tenencia of Sarria, which he held until 1171.

At an unknown date, Rodrigo married María, daughter of Ponce de Minerva and Estefanía Ramírez.

[4] On 20 February 1171, in penance for this sin, he donated the church San Salvador de Sarria to the Cathedral of Lugo.

[6] By 1172 Rodrigo had grown dissatisfied with the lax practices of the Order of Santiago, especially the allowance for members to marry, and he received permission from the Papal legate Jacinth to Spain to found a new confraternity in accordance with the Cistercian rule (instituta Cisterciensis ordinis).

[6] He received support from Alfonso II of Aragon, who donated the castle of Alfambra to the order in return for military aid against the Muslims.