Henry was born at
Stolberg Castle in
Stolberg, the fourth son of the ruling Count
Bodo VIII and his wife Countess
Anna of Eppstein-Königstein. His eldest sister was
Juliana of Stolberg, the ancestress of the
House of Orange-Nassau. He was named after his uncle, Count Henry the Younger of Stolberg, whose body was transferred from
Cologne to Stolberg the day after Henry was born. Henry was educated for several years at the court of his maternal grandfather, Count Eberhard of
Eppstein. One of his teachers was the famous
humanist dr. Johann Caesarius from
Cologne. From November 1525, Henry studied at the
University of Leipzig, where his advisor was
Tilemann Plathner. His father managed to reserve posts as
dean for him in Cologne and
Mainz. In 1538, a post as dean in Halberstadt fell vacant. Henry moved to Halberstadt and began to furnish a manor in Dardesheim for himself. In 1542, he was appointed cathedral dean in Cologne, after the death of his predecessor, Frederick of Beichlingen. Back to Cologne, he learned that the new archbishop,
Hermann of Wied had converted to
Protestantism. Henry also converted to Protestantism and together they started spreading the new faith. The pope then removed them both from office. == Marriage and issue ==