Johan II of East Frisia

Who was Johan II of East Frisia?

Count Johan II of East Frisia was a member of the House of Cirksena and from 1561 until his death in 1591 co-regent of the county of East Frisia. He ruled jointly with his brother Edzard II.

In 1558 the primogeniture of John's mother, the Countess Anna was abolished, presumably to stem the impact of the house Vasa in the county, which was based on the marriage of her eldest son Edzard with Catherine, the eldest daughter of King Gustav I of Sweden. This meant that she abolished Edzard right to be the sole ruler of the county. This led to a e facto division of East Frisia, because Johan, like his mother, was a Calvinist, whereas Edzard II was a Lutheran.