He was a son of Count Anton Günther I of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen and his wife Countess Palatine Maria Magdalene of Birkenfeld (1622–1689).

On 3 September 1697, the brothers were raised to Imperial Princes by Emperor Leopold I. Anton Günther died in 1716 and Arnstadt fell back to Christian William.

After Prince Louis Frederick I of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt joined the treaty in 1710, it was confirmed in 1719 by Emperor Charles VI.

In 1672, Christian Williams was engaged with the hymn poet Ludmilla Elisabeth of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt, but she died unexpectedly later that year.

He married on 22 August 1673 Antonie Sybille (1641–1684), daughter of Count Albert Frederick I of Barby-Mühlingen, with whom he had the following children: Christian William married a second time in 1684, with Wilhelmine Christiane (1658–1712), daughter of the Duke John Ernest II of Saxe-Weimar, with whom he had the following children: