Frederick was part of the Ardennes-Verdun dynasty, and the eldest son of Godfrey I the Prisoner, Count of Verdun, and Matilda, daughter of Herman, Duke of Saxony of the Billung family, and a widow of Baldwin III of Flanders.
He was released in 987 by family ally Hugh Capet, then Duke of the Franks (dux et princeps Francorum).
However, a charter dated 1020, under which Haimont, Bishop of Verdun, confirmed an exchange of property, names domni Frederici…comes nostre civitatis, which suggests that Frederic continued as count at least in part of the county.
A 1020 charter of Abbot Richard demonstrates that Frederick must have resigned the countship soon after, as it refers to temporis dominus Fredericus qui comes Virdunensis civitatis fuerat.
Frederick was also Count of Castres, as shown by the charter dated 5 May 1005 under which Henry II, then King of Germany, granted market rights at Doncheria…in comitatu…Frederici comitis…Castricensis to the Abbey Saint-Médard de Soissons.