Antoine II Gondi

Antoine II was a member of Gondi family, French family of Florentine origins, whose diplomats and bankers were prominent in France from the 16th century. The family established itself in France after gaining the confidence and patronage of Catherine de Médicis.

Guildobaldo Antonio de Gondi (Antoine) was sent to Lyons, France, in 1506 to look after the family's business affairs there. He remained in France, married a noblewoman in 1516 (Marie Catherine de Pierrevive), and with his wife acquired a seigniory in 1521. He became a banker, a large property owner in Lyons, was active in political affairs, and was eventually employed by both the church and the throne as a financial agent. After 1533, when Catheriane de Medici had passed through the city of Lyons followng her recent marriage to Henry of Valois (Duke of Orleans), she took Marie Catherine into her sevice as a lady-in-wainting and later appointed her Governess of the Royal Children. Antoine was employed as maitre d'hotel for Catherine de Medici's husband Henry, by that time the Dauphin of France. Antoine retained this position when Henry became King of France (Henry II), with Catherine as Queen. Marie Catherine later was put in charge of Catherine de Medici's finances and building projects. Henry II and Catherine de Medici were the parents of Marguérite de Valois who later figured in Vincent de Paul's life when he first came to Paris. Antoine died in 1560 in Paris, a nobleman and a courtier. His children remained in France, one son became bishop of Paris (Pierre) and Cardinal (de Gondi), another was the Duc de Retz (Albert). The descendants of Guidobaldo Antonio de Gondi are generally referred to as the "Retz Branch" of the de Gondis.