[2] Anna was born in Dresden on 23 December 1544, the eldest child of Duke Maurice of Saxony and his wife, Agnes of Hesse.

[3] After the death of her younger brother Albert (1545–1546), Anna grew up as an only child, and might have been spoiled by her parents, particularly her mother.

There are indications that Anna suffered from a physical deformity (a back problem or uneven shoulders) and that she might have walked with a limp.

[citation needed] After her father's death on 11 July 1553, his younger brother, August (1526–1586), succeeded him as Elector of Saxony, resulting in a loss of Anna's in rank.

The 11-year-old orphan then returned to her late father's Dresden court and was placed under the guardianship of her uncle August and his wife, Anne of Denmark and Norway.

In 1556, Erik, son of the Swedish king Gustav Vasa, sought her hand in marriage, followed two years later by William of Orange.

First, he did not consider William of Orange, already having a male heir, as befitting for an elector's daughter, believing she could marry someone of even higher rank.

Her uncle August tried to save face by making claims that disputes arose due to his brother Louis antagonizing William.

After the death of her first son Maurice in 1566, Anna began to experience severe depression and suicidal thoughts for the first time.

In 1567 William had to flee due to his opposition to the Habsburg Netherlands, and went with his wife to Dillenburg, the German headquarters of the family.

At the baptism of 11–19 January 1568 a message arrived for William in Burgundy stating that on 20 December 1567 all his Dutch lands and possessions had been confiscated.

When William returned to Brabant on 15 August 1568 to continue his war against the Spaniards, Anna decided on 20 October 1568 although pregnant again, to leave Dillenburg with her court (probably 43 people), to escape the antipathies of his mother and to create a new home in Cologne.

She considered either persuading the Duke of Alba to return their confiscated goods, or demanding payment from Wilhelm as specified in the contract of 12,000 guilders or the castles of Diez or Hadamar.

During the Thirty Years' War, their property was confiscated and after her husband died in 1636, Christina had to seek shelter with relatives.

her half brother was the painter Peter Paul Reubens In September 1572 Anna decided to challenge the Imperial Court's ruling for her financial rights.

At this time her Hessian and Saxon relatives had already made plans to turn Beilstein castle into a prison, to hold her captive as an adulteress.

Her Uncle August also demanded of William, whom he now called "Head of all the rogues and rebels " claimed one of the counties of Nassau, Hadamar and Diez.

The only entrance was a door covered by an iron grill, with a square hole cut into it so that food and drink could be passed to her, making it virtually impossible to escape.