Diego Sarmiento de Acuña, 1st Count of Gondomar

Diego Sarmiento de Acuña, 1st Count of Gondomar (November 1, 1567 – October 2, 1626), referred to simply as Count Gondomar, was a Spanish nobleman and diplomat. He twice served as Spain's ambassador to England and later held an informal but influential role as Spain's leading expert on English affairs, a position he maintained until his death.

In England, Gondomar was widely regarded as the leader of a Spanish faction at the English court, a confidant privy to the inner thoughts of King James I, and working to advance the Papist cause.

Early life

Gondomar was born into a noble family on November 1, 1567, at the episcopal palace in Astorga, the residence of his paternal uncle. He was the eldest son of García Sarmiento de Sotomayor, Lord of Gondomar and Vincios, and Juana de Acuña, daughter of the Dukes of Valencia de Don Juan.

In 1579, García Sarmiento de Sotomayor created the lordship of Gondomar and Vincios, which Gondomar, as first-born inherited, upon his father's death later that very same year.

At the age of 14, Gondomar was married to his niece Beatriz Sarmiento y Mendoza, who died five years later while he was serving in Italy. Two years after her death, he married Constanza de Acuña, with whom he had eight children.

During the Anglo-Spanish War, Gondomar played a key role in defending the towns of Baiona and Vigo against an English raid led by Sir Francis Drake in 1585. Four years later, they clashed again in Vigo, after the English Armada was repelled in A Coruña and Lisbon; in the assault on A Coruña Drake was defeated but not before the bombing and sack of the town.