Rodrigo Díaz de Vivar Mendoza y Sandoval, 7th Duke of the Infantado

[2] In 1627, at the age of thirteen he was betrothed to Isabel Mendoza de Luna,[1] daughter of the 3rd Marquis of Montesclaros, who had been the Viceroy of New Spain and of Peru.

When Rodrigo de Mendoza died in 1657, without leaving any heirs,[1] the title passed on to his sister, Catalina Gómez de Sandoval y Mendoza, the Duchess of Pastrana, thereby uniting the two houses, Infantado and Pastrana, and increasing the power of the family.

As Duke of the Infantado, he fought in the Portuguese Restoration War (1640–1668) as a member of Philip IV of Spain's staff.

[citation needed] He also participated in the Catalan Revolt (1640–1659)[4] and at the Siege of Lérida.

[citation needed] He was later appointed the Spanish ambassador to Rome (1649-1951) and Viceroy of Sicily (1651-1655).