He was ultimately killed at the Battle of Chmielnik on March 18, 1241, alongside his Włodzimierz, Voivode of Cracow.
He was born to a noble family of Gryfici (Świebodzice), son of the Castellan of Płock, who had 6 children.
He fled Lesser Poland to Opole and Racibórz following the 1225 dispute between Henry the Bearded and Leszek the White over the duchy of Krakow.
He was to bear half the costs associated with the expansion of the Opole castle, a decision that was made in August of 1228 in Rybnik.
He defended Krakow, Wawel and Skała, alongside the then Voivode Marek of Brzeźncia, from the Masovian army of Konrad I.