 He was born to a noble family of Gryfici (Świebodzice), son of the Castellan of Płock, who had 6 children.He fled Lesser Poland to Opole and Racibórz following the 1225 dispute between Henry the Bearded and Leszek the White over the duchy of Krakow.His father-in-law was the Opole Castellan Zbrosław, and he was appointed by Casimir I of Opole to be Voivode of Opole.