He was the younger son of Burgrave Frederick III from his second marriage with the Ascanian princess Helene of Saxony.

In 1307, he and King Albert I of Germany led an Imperial Army into the Battle of Lucka against the Wettin margraves Frederick I of Meissen and Dietrich IV of Lustia, and were defeated.

Frederick IV fought more successfully alongside the Wittelsbach king Louis the Bavarian at the Battle of Mühldorf on 28 September 1322, capturing the Habsburg rival Frederick the Fair.

A year later Frederick died, and was succeeded by his son, John II.

He married before 2 August 1307 Margaret of Görz-Tyrol, a granddaughter of Duke Meinhard of Carinthia.