Münster Anabaptist Kingdom

Timeline

1. 1534Münster · MünsterIn early 1534, the Dutch Anabaptist prophet Jan Matthys entered Münster with radical followers, exploiting citizen discontent with the bishop and municipal authorities to launch an uprising. In February the Anabaptists took control of the city government and expelled the bishop's forces, proclaiming the establishment of the 'New Jerusalem,' and began expelling non-believers, confiscating property, and implementing communal living.
2. 1534–1535Münster · MünsterAfter Jan Matthys was killed in a sortie in April 1534, John of Leiden became the de facto ruler. He proclaimed himself 'King of the New Jerusalem,' established a council of twelve elders, and implemented communal property, polygamy, and strict religious discipline, transforming Münster into the center of a radical Anabaptist utopian experiment while also fortifying the city's defenses against external siege.
3. 1535Münster · MünsterThe Prince-Bishop of Münster, Franz von Waldeck, joined forces with the Empire and neighboring princes to lay a prolonged siege on Münster. In June 1535, traitors inside the city opened the gates, the coalition forces stormed in, and the Anabaptist regime completely collapsed. John of Leiden and other leaders were captured, tried, and publicly executed in Münster, and the radical Anabaptist movement was harshly suppressed in the Rhineland and the Netherlands.