His family was from the Abelslægten branch of the House of Estridsen, descended from the deposed King Abel of Denmark.
This left only a small part of the Duchy for Henry, and he was often short of funds.
In 1367, he even had to pledge the island of Langeland to the Danish noble Panter family.
His territory was wedged between those of the strong King Valdemar IV of Denmark in the north and Counts Henry II (1317–1384) and Nicholas (1320–1397) of Holstein-Rendsburg in the south.
He died in August 1375 and was buried in the church of Sorø on Zealand, the largest island in Denmark.