He was the father of François de La Rochefoucauld author of Réflexions ou sentences et maximes morales better known as the Maximes.

[2] He was the son of François de La Rochefoucauld, Count of La Rochefoucauld, and Claude de Madaillan, Dame of Estissac.

[3] After his father was killed at Saint-Yrieix by the Catholic League on 15 March 1591, he inherited the title Count of La Rochefoucauld which he remained until 22 April 1622,[4] when King Louis XIII[5] raised his county of La Rochefoucauld to a dukedom with the influence of his mother Queen Marie de' Medici having attended her coronation on 14 May 1610.

[6] By contract dated 1 March 1611, he married Gabrielle du Plessis, a daughter of Charles du Plessis and Antoinette de Pons, Marquise of Guercheville, and lady-in-waiting to Marie de' Medici.

Together, they had twelve children, including:[3] The Duke died at the Château de La Rochefoucauld on 8 February 1650.