He was the youngest child of Duke John I and his third wife Agnes of Lindow-Ruppin.

After his father's death, he ruled Mecklenburg-Stargard jointly with his elder brothers John II and Ulrich I.

In 1395 he moved to Livonia to become coadjutor to bishop Dietrich Damerau of Dorpat.

He settles a dispute between his bishop and Konrad von Jungingen, the Grand Master of the Teutonic Knights.

Early in 1396, Konrad writes in his diary: the bishop of Dorpat has invited one of the Lord of Mecklenburg and given him several castles and intends him to succeed to the bishopric.