He corresponded with many leading scientists of his time, among them Tycho Brahe and Jost Bürgi.

He acted as a counselor and chamberlain to the Holy Roman Emperor Rudolph II, for whom he undertook diplomatic missions, such as mediation in inheritance disputes between princes.

Using his monarchic privilege of cuius regio, eius religio he prompted the conversion of the Church of Lippe to Calvinism.

This religious dispute was resolved by the Peace of Röhrentrup in 1617, granting Lemgo the right to determine its faith independently.

Simon VI's youngest son, Philip I later found the Schaumburg-Lippe line, whose seat of government was in Bückeburg.