Fernán Pérez de Andrade or ánPéFernán Peres d'Andrade (? – 1397) was a Galician knight. His birthdate is unknown but is presumably before 1330. His death date fell between July 28 and August 21, 1397. The fourth son of Ruy Freyre de Andrade and Inés Rodriguez de Sotomayor, he belonged to a family associated with the knights of the Orden de la Banda (Order of the Sash) since its founding by Alfonso XI of Castile in 1332. He was married to Sancha Rodríguez, daughter of Aras Pardo and Tareyga Affonso, and with whom he was known to have had two daughters, Maria and Inés Fernández, nuns of the Order of Saint Clare, and a son (whose name is unconfirmed, though some sources mention Nuño) who died at an early age, leaving the family without a direct male heir.
Pires de Andrade was a knight always ready for battle who enjoyed hunting, poetry and chivalric books, as befitted the tastes of those days. He was a sponsor and protector of the Catholic Church, though it is well documented that he usurped the Church's properties, and abused his power in his domains when it suited him. He sided with Henry II of Castile { Enrique de Trastámara} in Henry's confrontation with his half-brother Peter in the last years of the feud, until Henry's assassination in Monteil.
After the king's death, and the accession of Henry II to the throne, Fernán Pérez de Andrade continued to be influential with the monarchy and reached the status of a Lord in Galicia.
Andrade
"Andrade" seems to be an old toponym of Celtic origin, according to D. Isidro Millán, but it is unknown if it referred to a village or a parish. The name of the place was incorporated into the family name, and the name is mentioned in several documents dating from the twelfth century. It is possible that this name was used by unrelated individuals or families residing in the area, as is common today.
The first documented Andrades were vassals of the Traba family, along with some other hidalgo family. They remained in the background of the social scene until the fourteenth century, when their influence in the areas of Ferrol, Vilalba and Pontedeume increased to the point of becoming of the most powerful Galician family of the time.
With Don Fernán Pérez de Andrade o Bóo (o Boo meaning "the Good" in Galician language) - the fourth to have that name - the family achieved greater importance during the reign of Henry II. Their successor descendants continued this increase, being Fernando de Andrade (1477–1540) the one to achieve Count status, as the first Conde de Andrade; the second title of count of Vilalba, Count of Andrade is currently in possession of the House of Alba.
Most genealogies compiled during the 19th and 20th century connect the Andrades to the most important families as Fróilaz-Traba; these are, however, only weak connections, and are contradictory or obscure connections, as yet unconfirmed. To further muddy the water, there are several legendary stories relating the Andrades to the knights that reached the Iberian Peninsula in the retinue of Mendo de Rausona, brother of the last Lombard king, around the eighth century.
Fernán Pérez de Andrade, knightly atmosphere and loyalty to Pedro I
Fernán Perez de Andrade IV descended from a family of hidalgos and knights, vassals of a lord whom they served with arms. This family environment certainly influenced Fernán Pérez de Andrade; he was always ready for battle, but had a cautious and observing character in tumultuous times, with minimal romanticism. Two of his grandfather's brothers, Pedro and Fernan (the third) Perez de Andrade, were put to death in the Castillo de la Rocha in 1320; this demonstrated to the young Fernán how those were times in which it might be prudent to put caution aside and move swiftly to align oneself with the stronger parties.
The Andrades were lords of a small estate, and, as most of the lords in the peninsula, aspired to broaden their domains and promote their lineage in the service of their overlord, Don Pedro Fernández de Castro. Alfonso XI, an enthusiast of the chivalric code, fostered knights as pillars of his society, considering it necessary to bring order to his realm, and honour (and praise) to his subjects. As a result of this belief, he created the Orden de la Banda—first secular order of the West—and reinstated the practice of investiture of Knights, creating them himself by drawing on the vassals of his kingdom. Pedro Fernández de Castro invested thirteen of his vassals as Knights of the Orden de la Banda on September 10, 1332. Among them were Nuño and Rui Freyre de Andrade, uncle and father of Fernán Pérez de Andrade (IV). (Libro de Ordenamiento de Banda-Crónica de Alfonso XI).