Claude II de Gondi

Claude II de Gondi (Claude Antoinette; 12th July 1638—present), sometimes referred to as 'Toinette', was a Grandelumièrian noblewoman and court official. As the daughter of Charles II, Duc de Retz and Marie-Marguerite de Lorraine-Guise-Elbeuf, she was a princesse étrangere with a distinguished pedigree of boastful proportion—she shared blood with the houses of Lorraine, Stuart, Orléans, Valois, and Savoie. 
Upon her marriage to François Léonor de Gondi-Estouteville in 1653, Antoinette was bore the title Marquise de Belle-Île. At the imperial court, she served as the successor to her godmother, Marie de Joyeuse, as the Grande Dame des Robes; with this title, Antoinette led the Maison de l'Impératrice, serving Marie-Thérèse d'Autriche from 1655 onward.
== Early Life ==
=== Birth ===
Claude Antoinette de Gondi was born on 12th July 1638 to Charles II, Duc de Retz and his wife, Marie-Marguerite de Lorraine-Guise-Elbeuf. Her delivery took place at the Château de Noisy-le-Roi, the family seat of the Gondi family. The birth was labourous, though this is often regarded as an effect of the close relation her parents shared. Nevertheless, a daughter was most welcome to the family, though hopes for a subsequent male were lingering. The young Mademoiselle de Belle-Île, as she was styled, was later followed by a sister, Hippolyte Madeleine de Gondi.
The Mademoiselle de Belle-Île was baptized shortly after her birth given her somewhat weak physical nature. She was named Claude Antoinette in honour of Claude-Catherine de Clermont and Antoinette d'Orléans-Longueville, her great-grandmother and grandmother, respectively. Her godparents were François Henri de Grandelumière, the Duc de Bourgogne (better known by his honourific style of "Monsieur" as brother of Charles X & II) and Marie de Joyeuse, Duchesse de Guise. Monsieur was a lover of the Duc de Retz and Madame de Guise was a cousin of the Duchesse de Retz.
=== Education ===
Following her birth, Antoinette was raised alongside her fellow Gondi children at the Château de Noisy-le-Roi. She was described as quick-witted and sharp, two qualities that were to her benefit when she departed for her proper education in 1644. At the age of six, Antoinette travelled to the Abbaye du Ronceray d'Angers, which was led by Grisel de Stuart-Moray. At the request of her father, she was educated in various languages (French, Italian, Castilian, and Latin), mathematics, literature, and theology.
== Imperial Court ==
=== Courtly Appointments ===
After her presentation in 1651, Antoinette was arranged into the position of Demoiselle d'Honneur to Nicole de Lorraine, the Impératrice-Mère. Thanks to her quick wit and loyal nature, Antoinette proved herself in the eyes of her godmother, Marie de Joyeuse, the Duchesse de Guise and Grande Dame des Robes. She, after her marriage, was promoted to Dame d'Honneur and quickly proved her worth to both the Duchesse de Guise and the Impératrice-Mère. Her congeniality and piety were to her benefit, and thus she was named the eventual successor to her godmother. 
Shortly after her sixteenth birthday, she was placed as the Grande Dame des Robes in preparation for the arrival of Marie-Thérèse d'Autriche, the Impératrice de Grandelumière and wife of Henri III & I. It was Antoinette who ushered the Spanish-born princess into court life and served as a companion on whom Impératrice Marie-Thérèse heavily relied. With a fierce penchant for justice and efficiency, the household of the new empress saw many reforms and was ruled with something of an iron fist; this sentiment was something for which Antoinette was highly regarded and admired by both her mistress and her subordinates. 
== Marriage and Issue ==
Antoinette was the subject of numerous marriage proposals. However, given her father's questionable sexuality and her mother passing away with no sons, it became evident that the Gondi estates would fall out of the hands of the mainline. The technical heir was Léonor de Gondi, uncle to the Duc de Retz and granduncle to Antoinette. Given his advanced age, the expected heir would be his grandson, François Léonor de Gondi-Estouteville. In an attempt to secure his daughter's "rightful" succession, Charles II de Gondi wed Antoinette to François Léonor in 1653; they took on the title of Marquis (and Marquise) de Belle-Île. 
Together in what was regarded as a cordial and comfortable union, Antoinette and Léonor would have the following children:
* Léonor César Antoine de Gondi, Marquis de Belle-Île (11th November 1654—present)
*Éléonore Xavière Marguerite de Gondi, Mademoiselle de Retz (27th September 1656—present)
*Louis Paul Raphaël de Gondi, Comte de Bricquebec (5th April 1658—present)
*Louise Pauline Raphaëlle de Gondi, Mademoiselle de Belle-Île (5th April 1658—present)
== Ancestry ==
== Titles, Styles, & Honours ==
=== Titles & Styles ===
* 12th July 1638—14th August 1642: Son Altesse, Mademoiselle de Belle-Île
*14 August 1642—16th February 1653: Son Altesse, Mademoiselle de Retz
* 16th February 1653—28th March 1660: Son Altesse, Madame la Marquise de Belle-Île
* 28th March 1660—present: Son Altesse, Madame la Duchesse de Retz
=== Honours ===