His education and the regency until 1660 were in the hands of his mother and Henry Wolrad, a cousin of his father.

On 12 June 1685, he closed an inheritance treaty with his cousin Count George Frederick of Waldeck-Eisenberg, which introduced the primogeniture in the house of Waldeck.

When George Frederick died in 1692, Christian Louis inherited Waldeck-Eisenberg, thereby reuniting Waldeck in one hand for the first time since 1397.

Christian Louis inherited a claim to a share of the County of Rappoltstein in the Alsace from his first wife.

Christian Louis was a successful soldier and rose to the rank of Field Marshal.