Henry was educated for several years at the court of his maternal grandfather, Count Eberhard of Eppstein.
From November 1525, Henry studied at the University of Leipzig, where his advisor was Tilemann Plathner.
In 1542, he was appointed cathedral dean in Cologne, after the death of his predecessor, Frederick of Beichlingen.
Back to Cologne, he learned that the new archbishop, Hermann of Wied had converted to Protestantism.
On 3 November 1556 in Quedlinburg, Henry married Elisabeth (d. 1578), a daughter of Count Hector I of Gleichen.