List of state leaders in 1553

1552 state leaders - Events of 1553 - 1554 state leaders - State leaders by year

Africa

• Empire of Ethiopia - Gelawdewos (1540–1559)
• Kingdom of Kongo - Diogo I, Manikongo (1545–1561)
• Kingdom of Sennar - Abd al-Qadir I (1550/1 - 1557/8)
• Songhai Empire - Askia Daoud, Askia of the Songhai Empire (1549–1582)

Asia

• Sultanate of Aceh, Alauddin al-Kahar (1539–1571)
• Sultanate of Banten, Hasanudin (1552–1570)

• China (Ming Dynasty) - Jiajing Emperor (1521–1567)
• Jaffna Kingdom - Cankili I (1519–1561)
• Japan (Sengoku period)
  • Monarch - Emperor Go-Nara (1526–1557)
  • Shogun (Ashikaga) - Ashikaga Yoshiteru (1546–1565)
• Korea (Joseon Dynasty) - Myeongjong (1545–1567)
• Mughal Empire - Ibrahim Sur (1545–1555)
• Ryūkyū Kingdom - Shō Sei (1527–1555)
• Sulu Sultanate - Sultan Nasir ud-Din I (1548–1568)
• Vijayanagar - Rama Raya (1542–1565)

Europe

• Kingdom of Denmark and Norway - Christian III (1534–1559)
  • Duchy of Schleswig - Adolphus (1544–1586), Christian III (1523–1559), and John II (1544–1580) in condominial rule
• England
  1. Edward VI (1547–1553)
  2. Jane (1553)
  3. Mary I (1553–1558)
• Kingdom of France - Henry II (1547–1559)
• Holy Roman Empire - Charles V (1519–1556)
  • Duchy of Holstein - Adolphus (1544–1586), Christian III (1523–1559), and John II (1544–1580) in condominial rule
• Hungary -
  • Royal Hungary - Ferdinand I (1526–1564)
  • Eastern Hungarian Kingdom - John II Sigismund Zápolya (1540–1571)
• Polish–Lithuanian union - Sigismund II, Grand Duke of Lithuania (1544–1572) and King of Poland (1548–1572)
• Moldavia - Alexandru Lăpuşneanu, Voivode of Moldavia (1552–1561)
• Kingdom of Navarre - Henry II d'Albret (1516–1555)
• Ottoman (Turkish) Empire - Suleiman the Magnificent (1520–1566)
• Papal States - Pope Julius III (1550–1555)
• Kingdom of Portugal - John III the Pious (1521–1557)
• Grand Duchy of Moscow - Ivan IV the Terrible, Grand Prince of Moscow (1533–1547) then Tsar of Russia (1547–1584)
• Duchy of Savoy - Emmanuel Philibert (1553–1580)
• Kingdom of Scotland - Mary, Queen of Scots (1542–1567)
• Kingdom of Sweden - Gustav I Vasa (1521–1560)
• Republic of Venice -
  1. Francesco Donato, Doge of Venice (1545–1553)
  2. Marcantonio Trivisan, Doge of Venice (1553–1554)
• Principality of Wallachia - Radu Ilie Haidaul, Voivode of Wallachia (1552–1553)

Middle East and North Africa

• Safavid Empire - Tahmasp I, Shah of Iran (1524–1576)