His parents were Balian of Beirut and Eschiva, daughter of Walter of Montbéliard and Burgundia of Cyprus.
[1] John inherited the Lordship of Beirut from Hugh of Ibelin.
In 1258, by "manipulat[ing] the complex regency laws", John and his compatriot John of Jaffa, succeeded in aligning the feudatories of Jerusalem with the Republic of Venice against that of Genoa in the War of Saint Sabas.
[2] They were defeated at the camp near Tiberias in a route by some Turcomen and John was taken captive along with John of Gibelet, James Vidal, and Thomas Bérard, Grand Master of the Knights Templar.
[3] John married Alice de la Roche,[1] daughter of Duke Guy I of Athens.