The son of Adam Wacław and a noblewoman, Małgorzata Koschlinger, with whom he had a relationship most probably after the death of his wife, Elizabeth of Kurland (+ 1601). Owing to the fact that his mother did not belong to a princely line he could not succeed either his father, Adam Wacław, or his brother, Fryderyk Wilhelm. He was legitimised on 12 April 1604 and on 8 May 1640 the title of Baron von Hohenstein was bestowed on him. Notwithstanding favourable circumstances he never attempted to become the ruler of the Duchy or of any part of it: never trying, for example, to obtain permission to found a barony or a county there.

(K. Jasiński, Rodowód, pp. 197-199)