Background
His parents were Duke Charles II of Münsterberg-Oels and Elisabeth Magdalena (1562–1630), daughter of the Duke George II of Brieg.
His parents were Duke Charles II of Münsterberg-Oels and Elisabeth Magdalena (1562–1630), daughter of the Duke George II of Brieg.
He also used the titles of Duke of Münsterberg and Count of Glatz, although he never ruled those territories. From 1629 to 1639 he was Governor of Silesia. Henry Wenceslaus was appointed in 1608 as rector of the Viadrina European University in Frankfurt (Oder).
Following a Grand Tour through Europe, he was Commissioner for the imperial army of Silesia and Imperial Council.
After his father"s death in 1617, he took up government of the Duchy of Bernstadt. Henry Wenceslaus invited the composer and hymn writer Matthäus Apelt to Bernstadt in 1625 and appointed him in 1631 as secretary of his chancellery.
In 1627, Henry Wenceslaus attended the coronation in Prague of the later Emperor Ferdinand III as King of Bohemia. After Duke Georg Rudolf resigned in 1628 as Landeshauptmann of Silesia, an imperial decree reduced the political influence of future office holders.
In 1629, King Ferdinand III appointed Henry Wenceslaus to the office, after the latter had promised to respect the freedom of religion.
In 1637, Henry Wenceslaus awarded town privileges to the town of Międzybórz. He died in 1639 and was buried in Oleśnica.
Henry Wenceslaus was a member of the Münsterberg branch of the noble House of Poděbrady.