Retz, Jean Francois Paul De Gondi De: - Jean Francois Paul de Gondi de Retz was a French churchman, memoirist, and Fronde agitator. Catherine de' Medici introduced the Florentine banking and noble Gondi family to France; in 1573, Catherine offered Jérome (Girolamo) de Gondi the château that he converted into the Château de Saint-Cloud; his hotel in Paris' Faubourg Saint-Germain became the Hôtel de Condé in the following generation. The Gondi gained large holdings in Brittany and became associated with the kingdom's most prominent houses. Jean-François de Gondi was born in Montmirail, Brie, northern France. He was his family's third son, and Tallemant des Réaux claims that he was made a knight of Malta on the same day he was born. The loss of his second brother, however, destined him for a closer relationship with the Church. The Retz side of his family had a lot of religious influence, and although though young Jean-François wasn't really interested in the clergy, his family urged on him joining. They claimed he lacked the appearance of a soldier, being short, nearsighted, unattractive, and awkward.