List of state leaders in 1566

This is a list of heads of state, heads of governments, and other rulers in the year 1566.

Africa

• Ethiopian Empire – Sarsa Dengel (1563–1597)
• Kingdom of Kongo –
  1. Bernardo I, Manikongo (1561–1566)
  2. Henrique I, Manikongo (1566–1568)
• Sennar Sultanate – Abu Sakikin (1557/8 - 1568)
• Songhai Empire – Askia Daoud, Askia of the Songhai Empire (1549–1582)

Asia

• Aceh Sultanate, Alauddin al-Kahar (1539–1571)
• Arakkal kingdom – Ali Raja Ali, Raja of Arakkal (1545–1591)
• Ayutthaya Kingdom (Siam) – Mahinthrathirat (1564–1568)
• Banten Sultanate, Hasanudin (1552–1570)
• Sultanate of Brunei – Abdul Kahar (1521–1575)
• China (Ming dynasty) - Jiajing Emperor (1522–1567)
• Japan (Sengoku period)
  • Monarch – Emperor Ōgimachi (1557–1586)
  • Shōgun (Ashikaga shogunate) - Vacant
• Korea (Joseon dynasty) – Myeongjong (1545–1567)
• Mughal Empire – Jalaluddin Muhammed Akbar (1556–1605)
• Ryukyu Kingdom – Shō Gen (1556–1572)
• Philippines (Las islas Filipinas)

• Francisco Ceinos, Viceroy of New Spain (1564–1566)
• Gastón de Peralta, Viceroy of New Spain (1566–1568)
• El Adelantado Miguel López de Legazpi, Governor General and Captain General of the Philippines (1565–1572)

Europe

• Kingdom of Denmark – Frederick II (1559–1588)
• Kingdom of England – Elizabeth I (1558–1603)
• Kingdom of France – Charles IX (1560–1574)
• Holy Roman Empire – Maximilian II (1564–1576)
• Hungary -
  • Royal Hungary – Maximilian II, Holy Roman Emperor as Maximilian I (1563–1576)
  • Eastern Hungarian Kingdom – John II Sigismund Zápolya (1540–1571)
• Kingdom of Navarre – Jeanne d'Albret (1555–1572)
• Ottoman (Turkish) Empire

1. Suleiman the Magnificent (1520–1566)
2. Selim II

• Kingdom of Poland – Sigismund II Augustus (1548–1572)
• Kingdom of Portugal and the Algarves –
  • Monarch – Sebastian (1557–1578)
  • Regent – Cardinal-Infante Henry (1562–1568)
• Tsardom of Russia – Ivan IV, the Terrible, Tsar of Russia (1547–1584)
• Kingdom of Scotland Mary, Queen of Scots (1542–1567)
• Kingdom of Spain – Philip II (1556–1598)
• Kingdom of Sweden – Eric XIV (1560–1568)
• Republic of Venice – Giorolamo Priuli, Doge of Venice (1559–1567)
• Principality of Wallachia – Petru cel Tânăr, Voivode of Wallachia (1559–1568)

Middle East and North Africa

• Morocco (Saadi dynasty) - Abdallah al-Ghalib (1557–1574)
• Safavid Empire – Tahmasp I, Shah of Iran (1524–1576)