He was a member of the Star League, a group of territorial lords trying to counter the growing influence of the Landgraviate of Hesse.
Possibly in the context of the War of the Start League, Ulrich IV killed Frowin of Hutten, an ally of Hesse, in Steinau an der Straße.
Finally, he had to make some political concessions, designed to prevent him from continuing to fight on the side of the Star League.
In 1371, Ulrich purchased Steinheim, situated on the Main opposite Hanau, from the Lords of Eppstein, as well as the remaining shares in Alzenau.
Babenhausen is about a day's travel east of Frankfurt, making a very suitable "stepping stone" on the route to the site of the election.
In 1374, the Fulda monastery pledged Otzberg Fortress, the city of Hering and its share of Umstadt to Ulrich IV.
In 1377, Ulrich acquired the second half of Schlüchtern, by swapping it with Bishop Gerard of Würzburg for Bütthard castle and the district of Altenhaßlau as a fief.