List of state leaders in 1561

1560 state leaders - Events of 1561 - 1562 state leaders - State leaders by year

Africa

• Empire of Ethiopia - Menas (1559–1563)
• Kingdom of Kongo -
  1. Diogo I, Manikongo (1545–1561)
  2. Afonso II, Manikongo (1561)
  3. Bernardo I, Manikongo (1561–1566)
• Kingdom of Sennar - Abu Sakikin (1557/8 - 1568)
• Songhai Empire - Askia Daoud, Askia of the Songhai Empire (1549–1582)

Asia

• China (Ming Dynasty) - Jiajing Emperor (1521–1567)
• Japan (Sengoku period)
  • Monarch - Emperor Ōgimachi (1557–1586)
  • Shogun (Ashikaga) - Ashikaga Yoshiteru (1546–1565)
  • Daimyos
    • Azai Nagamasa, Daimyo of the Azai clan
    • Tosa Province - Chōsokabe Kunichika
• Korea (Joseon Dynasty) - Myeongjong (1545–1567)
• Malwa Sultanate - Baz Bahadur (1555–1561)
• Mughal Empire - Jalaluddin Muhammed Akbar (1556–1605)
• Ryūkyū Kingdom - Shō Gen (1556–1572)
• Sulu Sultanate - Sultan Nasir ud-Din I (1548–1568)
• Kingdom of Tondo - Rajah Lakan Dula and Rajah Sulaiman II, joint rulers (1558–1571)

Europe

• Kingdom of Denmark and Norway - Frederick II (1559–1588)
• Kingdom of England - Elizabeth I (1558–1603)
• Kingdom of France - Charles IX (1560–1574)
• Holy Roman Empire - Ferdinand I (1556–1564)
  • Duchy of Bavaria - Albert V (1550–1579)
  • United Duchies of Jülich-Cleves-Berg, County of Mark, County of Ravenstein - William the Rich (1539–1592)
  • Prince-Bishopric of Liège - Robert of Berghes (1557–1564)
  • Electorate of Trier - Johann V von der Leyen, Archbishop of Trier (1556–1567)
• 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 - Jeanne III (1555–1572)
• Ottoman (Turkish) Empire - Suleiman the Magnificent (1520–1566)
• Kingdom of Portugal - Sebastian (1557–1578)
• 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 - Alexandru II Mircea, Voivode of Wallachia (1568–1574)

Middle East and North Africa

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