John of Leiden (born Johan Beukelszoon; 2 February 1509 – 22 January 1536) was a Dutch Anabaptist leader.

The insurrection was suppressed in June 1535 after Prince-Bishop Franz von Waldeck besieged the city and captured John.

John was an Anabaptist, secretly at first, but later he became a recognized prophet of a sect which would eventually take over the German town of Münster.

Matthys expelled all of the Catholics from the city shortly after his arrival and set up a communal structure based on the Gospels.

John of Leiden would make many promises to his starving subjects about salvation from the siege and upcoming rewards for their enduring loyalty.

Each of the three was attached to a pole by an iron spiked collar and his body ripped with red-hot tongs for the space of an hour.

[4] Kautsky's reading of the sources emphasizes the Anabaptists' emphasis on social equality, political democracy, and communal living during the time of John's nominal rule.