Pedro Fajardo, 1st Marquis of los Vélez

Who was Pedro Fajardo, 1st Marquis of los Vélez?

Pedro Fajardo y Chacón, 1st Marquis of los Vélez, Grandee of Spain, was a Spanish military and nobleman.

He was a son of don Juan Chacón and wife dona Luisa Fajardo y Manrique de Lara, 2nd Countess and Lady of Cartagena.

He was the 3rd Count and Lord of the City of Cartagena and the 7th Lord of Alhama, Mula, Lebrillo, Molina Seca, La Puebla, etc. He was Adelantado-Mayor and Captain-General of the Kingdom of Murcia, Commander of Caravaca and Thirteen of the Order of Santiago, of the Council of the Catholic Monarchs Ferdinand V of Castile and Isabel I of Castile.

He was created 1st Marquess of los Vélez with a Coat of Arms of Fajardo on 12 September 1507 by Joanna of Castile and 1st Count of Gagliano. He was also made Grandee of Spain First Class recognized by Charles I of Spain in 1520.

He was humiliated when in 1520, the vocal citizens of Mula made him swear to respect the privileges that Ferdinand III of Castile gave to the village. In this way the dispute against the Marquess over the municipal government council began. The Marquess pre-empted the situation with the construction of his fortress to make his rule over the people of Mula assured.