polyxena was born at langenschwalbach in hesse and was baptised with the names "polyxena christina johanna ". king victor amadeus ii of sardinia approached her family and proposed a union between polyxena and victor amadeus ii's son and heir charles emmanuel, prince of piedmont. a previous match organised by "agostino steffani" with a daughter of duke rinaldo d'este of modena had come to nothing. his first wife, anne christine of sulzbach died march 1723 having given birth to a son.