Alfonso VII of León and Castile
Mendo Páez de Sorrez was recorded as being a Ricohombre in the service of King Alfonso VII of León and Castile "el emperador". An award awarded to Mendo after his participation in Alonso VII's Conquest of Almería from the Moors. Mendo Páez also went on to serve King Alfonso VIII of Castile. At some point, Mendo Páez was given the mandate to populate the area of the Valle de Soto in Galicia. With this landed establishment of lordship over the Señorio de Sotomayor, Mendo Páez took the land's name as his own surname as was tradition to become Mendo Páez Sorrez de Sotomayor.