on 11 December 1523 in Kassel. The marriage was arranged to forge a political alliance between Hesse and Saxony and was unhappy. Philip claimed to be disgusted by her and the "sexual wasteland" of his arranged marriage, said that he only shared her bed by duty and stated that she drank too much. Christine was nevertheless frequently pregnant; she gave birth to ten children in twenty years, nine of whom lived to adulthood.

Whilst married to Christine, Philip had adulterous affairs from as early as 1526 and