peter was the son of peter, count of brixey, and matilda of rinel (risnel, rinelle). he was made a canon of toul in 1152, then archdeacon in 1156. in 1165, the previous bishop of toul, henry i of lorraine, died; two years later, peter was elected to succeed him, and consecrated by hillin of falmagne, archbishop of trier, of whom he was a suffragan.