He was the eldest son of Duke Bolesław III Wrymouth, sole ruler of Poland since 1107, by his first wife Zbyslava,[1] a daughter of Sviatopolk II of Kiev.

Some historians believe that Bolesław III gave Władysław the district of Silesia before his own death, in order to create an hereditary fief for his eldest descendants.

Thanks to Władysław, Silesia was saved during the wars of 1133–1135 with Bohemia: he stopped the destruction of the major areas of his district after the Bohemian forces crossed the Oder river.

He therefore determined a kind of mitigated primogeniture principle: as the oldest son, the supreme authority in the country was assigned to Władysław with the title of a High Duke (Princeps).

Following the examples of his predecessors Bolesław I Chrobry in 992, Mieszko II Lambert in 1032, and his own father in 1106, the High Duke almost immediately tried to restore the unity of the country.

The disputes of Władysław with his stepmother Salomea and his half-brothers began openly in 1141, when the Dowager Duchess, without the knowledge and consent of the High Duke, commenced to divide her Łęczyca province between her sons.

In his prerogative as voivode he had the right to appoint officials in local authorities across Poland, including in the areas of the Junior Dukes, which made him the person from whose decisions was determined the fate of the state.

In view of the conflict between her sons and Władysław looming ahead, Bolesław's wife Salomea of Berg intrigued against him, whereafter Włostowic had to resign and was replaced by one of her minions.

When Władysław succeeded his father, he reinstated the voivode, however the increased power of Włostowic fostered deep negative relations, especially with his wife Agnes of Babenberg, who - not without reason - considered him a traitor.

Without waiting the arrival of food he sent his troops against the forces of Bolesław IV the Curly and Mieszko III; unexpectedly, Władysław suffered a defeat.

Immediately, a favourable peace treaty was made, which permitted the High Duke to take full control over Łęczyca; however, he had to give to the Kievan cohorts, in exchange for their aid, the Polish castle at Wizna.

High Duchess Agnes demanded Włostowic's death, but Władysław decided instead to make an example out of him: he was blinded, mutilated and sentenced to exile.

The rebels quickly grew in power thanks to the support of Archbishop Jakub ze Żnina of Gniezno, who excommunicated the High Duke – as a punishment for the fate of the voivode Włostowic – resulting in an additional series of rebellions.

Władysław of course did not lose hope of changing his fate, but for now he had to accept the postponement of his return, particularly when Conrad III started the Second Crusade with King Louis VII of France to the Holy Land the next year.

Following the inducements of Władysław and Frederick's aunt Agnes of Babenberg, the Holy Roman Emperor launched a new expedition to Greater Poland in 1157.

The campaign was a success, but unexpectedly Frederick Barbarossa did not restore Władysław to the Polish throne, after Bolesław IV apprehended at Krzyszkowo had to declare himself a vassal to the Emperor and was compelled to pay tribute to him.