Withego belonged to a family of Thuringian ministeriales who took their name from Burg Furra (or Wuor) located between Nordhausen and Sondershausen.
On 26 September 1274 Withego endowed two vicariates in the cathedral, where he was presumably educated as a domicellar before becoming a canon of the Stift.
In 1255 Withego was appointed cantor et prepositus at the collegiate church of Nordhausen, the Nordhäuser Dom.
During almost three decades in his episcopal office he was successful in securing and extending the bishopric's possessions in the face of the Margraves of Meissen and the Ascanian Margraves of Upper Lusatia as well as lesser lords, using among other means judicially placed interdicts and excommunications to put pressure on secular rulers.
As is shown by an illustration of the burial places in Meissen Cathedral of 1593, his grave was once in front of the Heiligkreuz altar.