List of state leaders in 1542

1541 state leaders - Events of 1542 - 1543 state leaders - State leaders by year

Africa

• Baguirmi - Lubatko (1536–1548)
• Empire of Ethiopia - Gelawdewos (1540–1559)
• Kingdom of Kongo - Alfonso I, Manikongo (1509–1543)
• Kingdom of Sennar - Nayil (1533/4 - 1550/1)
• Songhai Empire - Askia Ishaq I, Askia of the Songhai Empire (1539–1549)

Asia

• Sultanate of Aceh - Alauddin al-Kahar (1539–1571)
• Ahom Kingdom - Suklenmung (1539–1552)
• China (Ming Dynasty) - Jiajing Emperor (1521–1566)
• Jaffna Kingdom - Cankili I (1519–1561)
• Japan (Sengoku period)
  • Monarch - Emperor Go-Nara (1526–1557)
  • Shogun (Ashikaga) - Ashikaga Yoshiharu (1521–1546)
• Korea (Joseon Dynasty) - Jungjong (1506–1544)
• Ryūkyū Kingdom - Shō Sei (1527–1555)
• Safavid Empire - Tahmasp I, Shah of Iran (1524–1576)
• Sulu Sultanate - Muizzul-Mutawadi-in (1527–1548)
• Vijayanagar Empire -
  1. Achyuta Deva Raya (1529–1542)
  2. Aliya Rama Raya (1542–1565)

Europe

• Crimean Khanate - Sahib I Giray, Khan of Crimea (1532-1551)
• Kingdom of Denmark and Norway - Christian III (1534–1559)
• Kingdom of England - Henry VIII (1509–1547)
• Kingdom of France - Francis I (1515–1547)
• Holy Roman Empire - Charles V (1519–1558)
• Hungary -
  • Royal Hungary - Ferdinand I (1526–1564)
  • Eastern Hungarian Kingdom - John II Sigismund Zápolya (1540–1571)
• Moldavia - Petru Rareş, Voivode of Moldavia (1526–1538, 1540–1546)
• Kingdom of Navarre - Henry II d'Albret (1516–1555)
• Ottoman (Turkish) Empire - Suleiman the Magnificent (1520–1566)
• Papal States - Pope Paul III (1534–1549)
• Kingdom of Poland - Sigismund I the Old (1506–1548)
• Kingdom of Portugal - John III the Pious (1521–1557)
• Grand Duchy of Moscow - Ivan IV, the Terrible (1533/1547–1547/1584)
• Duchy of Savoy - Charles III (1504–1553)
• Kingdom of Scotland -
  1. James V (1513–1542)
  2. Mary, Queen of Scots (1542–1567)
• Crown of Spain -
  • Queen - Joanna the Mad (1504–1555)
  • Regent - Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor (1516–1556)
• Kingdom of Sweden - Gustav I Vasa (1521–1560)
• Republic of Venice - Pietro Lando, Doge of Venice (1538–1545)
• Principality of Wallachia - Radu Paisie, Voivode of Wallachia (1535–1545)

North Africa

• Morocco - Ahmad al-Araj, Sultan of Morocco (1517–1544)