John was a son of Philip II, Count of Nassau-Weilburg and his wife Margaret of Loon-Heinsberg,[1][2][3] daughter of John III of Loon-Heinsberg, Lord of Heinsberg, and Walburga of Moers.
[1] In 1472 his father appointed John as co-regent of the County of Nassau-Weilburg.
[2][3] Father and son shared the revenues of the county.
John died in 1480, which forced his father to become the sole ruler of the county again.
In 1464 John married [2][3] Elisabeth "the Handsome" of Hesse (Kassel, 14 December 1453[1] - 22 April 1489),[1][2][3] daughter of Louis I, Landgrave of Hesse and Anne of Saxony.