He was son of Friherre Gustav Eriksson Stenbock (1575–1629) and Countess Beata Margareta Brahe (1583–1645), born in Torpa, Länghem parish, Tranemo Municipality, Västergötland, Sweden. He was appointed head of Kronobergs regemente in 1637, Major General in 1643, Privy Councilor in 1652, Field Marshal in 1656, under the terms of the Treaty of Roskilde in 1658 became Governor General of Scania, Halland and Blekinge, Lord High Admiral in 1664, and Chancellor of Lund University in 1666. He was deposed as admiral by King Charles XI of Sweden in 1675.