He was the son of Martín Fernández de Córdoba y de Sotomayor, born circa 1420, 4th Sieur of Chillon, province of Ciudad Real, 10th Sieur of Espejo, 5th Sieur of Lucena and Leonor de Arellano y Fernandez de Cordoba, (1446–1531). His maternal uncle was the famous army commander Gonzalo Fernández de Córdoba, (1453–1515).