William VII inherited the landgraviate when his father died in 1663.

William was engaged with his cousin Maria Amalia of Courland, the daughter of Jacob of Courland (her mother was the sister of William's mother).

After the engagement, he embarked on his Grand Tour to the Netherlands, England and France.

The French doctors tried to cure the 19-year-old landgrave with laxatives, emetics, enemas and bloodletting, yet the treatment killed him.

His fiancée married his younger brother and successor, Landgrave Charles.