Jean François Paul de Gondi de Retz

Jean François Paul de Gondi, better known as Cardinal de Retz, was born on September 20, 1613, and died in Paris on August 24, 1679. He was a French churchman, political figure, and writer who became coadjutor archbishop of Paris before succeeding to the archbishopric in 1654.

Retz played a prominent role in the Fronde, a series of civil disturbances in France from 1648 to 1652, and became a leading opponent of Cardinal Mazarin. His political maneuvering brought influence as well as imprisonment, exile, and eventual resignation from the archbishopric.

He is best remembered for his Memoirs, written in the 1670s and first published in 1717. Combining personal recollection with political observation, the work established his reputation as one of the most engaging memoirists of the French ancien régime.