Wilbrand's older brothers Burchard of Wildenbrug and Henry III, Count of Oldenburg were killed in a crusade against the Stedingers.

The next years Wilbrand spent a lot of time in Italy as envoy of Frederick II, Holy Roman Emperor.

In 1226 he was temporarily given governance of the bishoprics of Münster and Osnabrück, after their bishops had been deposed as a result of their complicity in the murder of Engelbert II of Berg, Archbishop of Cologne.

In 1227 Wilbrand was moved by pope Gregory IX to the Bishopric of Utrecht because of his military experience, in order to replace bishop Otto van Lippe, who had died at the Battle of Ane.

After a failed attempt to gain control of Coevorden with support from the Frisians in the Frisian-Drenths War, Wilbrand defeated the Drenths at Peize.