Of noble birth, he devoted his youth to arms and fought as a soldier in Italy under the command of Alfonso d'Avalos in the War of Piedmont between the French and the Holy Roman Empire. He also served in Germany.
Hailing from a noble family, he spent his formative years honing his military skills and took part in the Italian campaign against the French and the Holy Roman Empire under the leadership of Alfonso d'Avalos. Additionally, he had a stint in Germany.