Philip spent his youth in
Vianden (in Luxembourg), where his father was governor and later he spent some time at the French royal court. He met his first wife, Margaret of East Frisia at the
Diet of Worms in 1521. There, he also met
Martin Luther and became a follower of Luther's teachings. As early as 1525, the vast majority of the population of Waldeck and northern Hesse had converted to
Lutheranism and in Waldeck an order from Count Philip and his uncle,
Philip III specifically prescribed Protestant sermons. Philip invited
Johann Hefentreger, who had been expelled from
Fritzlar in the
Electorate of Mainz, for a trial sermon in Bad Wildungen, which Johann held on 29 April 1526. The trial was a success and Philip and his uncle appointed Johann as town pastor in Bad Wildungen. Johann held his inaugural sermon on 17 June 1526. On 26 June 1526, Johann held a Lutheran service in the City Church of Waldeck and thereby officially introduced Lutheranism in the County of Waldeck, four months before Landgrave
Philip I, Landgrave of Hesse introduced the Reformation in neighbouring
Hesse at the
Synod of Homberg. Later that year, Philip and his cousin
Wolrad II of Waldeck-Eisenberg. following the advice of the reformer
Adam Krafft, founded the Lutheran State Church of Waldeck at the monastery in Volkhardinghausen. Johann Hefentreger was appointed
visitor and later implemented the order of the two counts to dissolve the monasteries, following the Hessian example. Monasteries were dissolved at Berich, Flechtdorf, Netze, Ober-Werbe, Schaaken and Volkhardinghausen, but with the proviso that they would remain open until the death of the last spiritual resident. The income of the
secularized monasteries was used to found charitable foundations and in 1578 as the basis for the county's first
gymnasium, the Old County School at
Korbach. == Death ==