His+Excellency


 * Diego Rodríguez de Silva y Velázquez**
 * born in Seville 1599
 * father: Juan Rodriguez de Sliva
 * mother: Jeronima Velazquez
 * both parents claim descent from lesser nobility (artist tried to validate it later)
 * middle class family
 * father probably indifferent to possible noble background cause painter was not an ok profession for first born son of a nobleman
 * father did teach son his letters (very valuable when only 20% of population is educated)
 * father gives Valazquez over to Francisco Pacheco in 1610 as an apprectice