His Salian grandfather Conrad the Red had been a loyal supporter of King Otto I of Germany and in turn was enfeoffed with the Duchy of Lotharingia (Lorraine) in 944.

Otto of Worms remained a supporter of the Ottonian dynasty, even though he had to renounce the duchy, when the emperor's widow Theophanu reconciled with Henry the Younger in 985.

In that year or thereabouts, Conrad married Matilda, daughter of Henry's rival, the Conradine duke Herman II of Swabia.

Instead King Henry II of Germany passed the duchy to Adalbert of Eppenstein, who was married to Matilda's sister, Beatrice.

His widow Matilda secondly married Duke Frederick II of Lorraine (d. 1026) and thirdly the Ascanian count Esico of Ballenstedt.