He was the youthful cousin of Henry II of France, with whom he was raised, and by birth a prominent individual in France, though his detractors emphasised his "foreign" origin (he was a prince étranger), namely the Duchy of Lorraine.
A fost vărul mai tânăr al regelui Henric al II-lea al Franței, cu care a crescut, deși detractorii lui au subliniat originea lui "străină" și anume Ducatul de Lorena.