▁castle ▁of ▁É cija ▁from ▁a ▁Mor oc can ▁invasion . ▁ ▁Early ▁life ▁and ▁family ▁Nu ño ▁was ▁the ▁younger ▁son ▁of ▁Gonz alo ▁N ú ñ ez ▁de ▁L ara ▁and ▁María ▁Dí az , ▁daughter ▁of ▁Count ▁Diego ▁López ▁II ▁of ▁the ▁House ▁of ▁Har o . ▁His ▁older ▁brother ▁was ▁Diego ▁González , ▁who ▁died ▁around ▁ 1 2 3 9 . ▁Nu ño ▁was ▁raised ▁on ▁the ▁L ara ▁est ates ▁near ▁Vill al dem iro ▁and ▁Cel ada . ▁He ▁became ▁the ▁closest ▁friend ▁of ▁the ▁future ▁Alfonso ▁X ▁during ▁the ▁prince ' s ▁child hood ▁( 1 2 2 3 – 3 1 ), ▁when ▁King ▁Ferdinand ▁III ▁sent ▁him ▁to ▁be ▁raised ▁away ▁from ▁the ▁royal ▁court . ▁Nu ño ▁did ▁not ▁receive ▁a ▁large ▁inheritance , ▁and ▁had ▁little ▁or ▁no ▁political ▁influence ▁within ▁the ▁kingdom ▁prior ▁to ▁Diego ' s ▁death . ▁In ▁ 1 2 4 0 , ▁Ferdinand ▁III ▁gave ▁Prince ▁Alfonso ▁a ▁house ▁and ▁an ▁income . ▁Nu ño ▁was ▁a ▁frequent ▁visitor ▁to ▁the ▁prince ' s ▁court , ▁along ▁with ▁other ▁child hood ▁friends , ▁like ▁the ▁children ▁of ▁Alfonso ' s ▁erst while ▁guard ian , ▁García ▁Fernández ▁de ▁Vill am ay or . ▁ ▁Nu ño ▁rose ▁to ▁prom in ence ▁as ▁a ▁military ▁commander ▁under ▁King ▁Ferdinand ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 2 4 0 s . ▁After ▁Alfonso ▁became ▁king ▁in ▁ 1 2 5 2 , ▁Nu ño ▁became ▁a ▁regular ▁at ten de