[2] In 1328, the support of the Sponheimers for the Wildgraves in the first Schmidtburg feud led to armed conflicts with Baldwin of Luxembourg.

Ludwig IV supported Bavaria as early as 1330, and John received from him the town charter for Winterburg and Koppenstein.

Unlike his brother Simon, John pursued active castle policy.

John died on March 11, 1340, having passed down his inheritance to his nephew Walram, who united the north and south parts of the county.

Although once engaged to a daughter of Friedrich von Kyrburg, John was never married, and had an illegitimate son named Walrab with a woman from the Stelin von Bonnheim family of knights, who were ministerialises in the Sponheim county.