François de La Rochefoucauld
François VI, duc de la Rochefoucauld was a prominent 17th-century French nobleman, born in Paris on September 15, 1613.
Bearing the title Prince de Marcillac until 1650, he embodied the accomplished aristocrat of his era—serving militarily, navigating royal court intrigues, opposing Cardinal Richelieu, and participating in the Fronde rebellion.
His worldview was famously clear-eyed and urbane, neither condemning nor sentimentally celebrating human conduct.
Sidelined by political reversals, he turned to literature, frequenting influential salons and producing his celebrated Maximes.
He died on March 17, 1680, leaving a permanent mark on French literature.
