Frederick did not have any rights to inherit, because in Hesse-Darmstadt primogeniture had been introduced properly.

Nevertheless, Frederick received in 1622 an apanage consisting of the City and district of Homburg, as well as a one-off payment plus an annual sum.

He was not considered a sovereign prince, but fell under the sovereignty of Hesse-Darmstadt.

One of his sons was Frederick II of Hesse-Homburg, better known as The Prince of Homburg.

Frederick I married on 10 August 1622 in Butzbach with Margaret Elisabeth (1604–1667), daughter of Count Christopher of Leiningen-Westerburg.