John II, Count of Rietberg

Who is John II, Count of Rietberg?

Count John II "the Mad" of Rietberg, called "the Great," was the son of Count Otto III of Rietberg and his second wife, Onna Esens.

After his uncle Balthasar Oomkens von Esens died in 1540 without a male heir, John and his mother inherited the East Frisian Lordship of Harlingerland and John assumed the title of Lord of Esens, Stedesdorf and Wittmund.

When his father died in 1535, John had to share the County of Rietberg with his older half-brother Otto IV. After Otto IV died childless in 1553, John II ruled Rietberg alone.

Also in 1556, John illegally beheaded one of his own his officials in Rietberg and schemed against the victim's relatives. The relatives fled to the neighbouring County of Lippe. From there, they and few faithful raided Rietberg. John then moved his mercenaries from Esens to Rietberg and attacked Count Bernhard VIII of Lippe. The army of Lippe responded by laying siege to the town of Rietberg. The Bishopric of Paderborn joined the attack on Rietberg. Lippe, Paderborn and East Frisia also sued each other in the court of the Lower Rhenish-Westphalian Circle. The Court found John guilty of a breach of the peace.