He was the youngest son of John I and Luitgard of Henneberg (1210-1267), the daughter of Count Poppo VII of Henneberg.
After his brother Henry I was taken prisoner during his pilgrimage, he took over the regency of Mecklenburg and the guardianship of Henry's sons in 1275, along with his brother Nicholas III.
In 1283 he was then referred to as Lord of Gadebusch.
He died on 12 October 1299 and was buried in the Doberan Minster.
This article about a member of the German nobility is a stub.