After his father's early death, he was raised by his uncles Eitel Friedrich IV of Hohenzollern-Hechingen and Karl II of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen.
in 1602, Karl succeeded his brother Johann Christoph as Count of Hohenzollern-Haigerloch.
In January 1633, at the height of the Thirty Years' War, the Swedish army approached Haigerloch and Karl fled with an entourage of 21 people to Hohenzollern Castle.
Count Karl was granted a free retreat and he went to the imperial army in Überlingen, where he tried unsuccessfully to talk them into helping him recapture his castle.
As he died without an heir, Hohenzollern-Haigerloch fell to Prince Johann of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen under the terms of the 1575 inheritance treaty.