Tuoba Ke was born in 483, as the second son of Emperor Xiaowen.

His mother was Xiaowen's concubine Consort, Gao Zhaorong. (As he was born the same year as his older brother Tuoba Xun, he was probably born just briefly after Tuoba Xun, whose mother was Consort Lin.)

Little is known about his childhood, including whether he was raised by his mother Gao or not.

Xiaowen in 496 changed the name of the imperial clan from Tuoba to Yuan, and thereafter he would be known as Yuan Ke.

Yuan Xun, who was in autumn 496 crown prince, but who could not endure the hot weather of the capital Luoyang after Xiaowen moved the capital there from Pingcheng in 494, plotted to flee back to Pingcheng with his followers, but his plot was discovered.

Xiaowen deposed him, and in 497 created Yuan Ke crown prince to replace Yuan Xun. (The creation was in Luoyang, but it is unclear whether prior to his creation, Yuan Xun was at Luoyang or Pingcheng.)

Gao, who was in Pingcheng, traveled south later that year to rejoin her son in Luoyang, but she died on the way.

Historians generally believe that she was murdered by Xiaowen's wife, Empress Feng Run, who wanted to raise Yuan Ke herself.

Whether she was actually able to do so is unclear, but after she is discovered to have carried on an affair with her attendant Gao Pusa in 499, she is put under house arrest, and Xiaowen orders Yuan Ke to have no more contact with her.

Xiaowen, while on a campaign against rival Southern Qi later in 499,  grows ill and dies.

Xiaowen's brother Yuan Xie the Prince of Pengcheng is placed in command of the withdrawing army on an emergency basis, and Yuan Xie keeps Xiaowen's death a secret while summoning Yuan Ke to join the army.

Yuan Ke's attendants largely suspect Yuan Xie of wanting to take the throne himself, but Yuan Xie, once he meets Yuan Ke, shows great deference to his nephew, persuading Yuan Ke of his loyalty.

Yuan Ke, at age sixteen, now assumes the throne as Xuanwu at Luyang (in modern Pingdingshan, Henan), before the army can return to Luoyang.