Background
His parents were Karl II, Duke of Münsterberg-Oels and Elisabeth Magdalena (1562–1630), daughter of Duke George II of Brieg.
Duke of Bernstadt Duke of Oels
His parents were Karl II, Duke of Münsterberg-Oels and Elisabeth Magdalena (1562–1630), daughter of Duke George II of Brieg.
He also held the titles of Duke of Münsterberg and Count of Glatz. After his father"s death in 1617 Karl Friedrich took over the government of the Duchy of Oels. After Henry Wenceslaus"s death in 1639, Karl Friedrich ruled these estates alone.
In 1619 Karl Friedrich was at the head of an embassy that had been sent to Prague by the Silesian Princes and Estates to invite the newly elected King of Bohemia Frederick V to an inaugural visit to Wrocław.
In defense of the freedom of religion and the desire for political interference, Karl Friedrich and the Dukes John Christian of Brieg and George Rudolf of Liegnitz and the City Council of Wrocław founded on 9 August 1633 a league (German: Konjunktion) which stood under the protection of Saxony, Brandenburg and Sweden. After the Peace of Prague of 1635, they had to therefore make amends.
Karl Friedrich was the last male descendant from the Münsterberg line of the Poděbrady family in Oels.
Karl Friedrich was a member of the Münsterberg branch of the Bohemian noble Poděbrady family.