Inigo is the son of Domingo Montoya, who was one of the best swordmakers in the world. When Inigo was 10, Count Rugen (aka the six-fingered man) commissioned Domingo to make a sword to meet the peculiarities of his right hand. After a year of labor, Domingo had finished the blade. When it was presented to Count Rugen, the six-fingered man pronounced it to be a cheap and shoddy piece of work and refused to pay the promised price. Domingo then refused to give Rugen the sword, presenting it to Inigo instead. Rugen killed Domingo for insolence. Inigo, enraged by the death of his father then challenged Rugen, but lost (although even at this early age, Inigo showed a flash of his later greatness). Rugen let the boy live, but slashed each cheek as a 'lesson'.