List of state leaders in 1538

This is a list of heads of state, government leaders, and other rulers in the year 1538.

Africa

• Kingdom of Baguirmi – Lubatko (1536–1548)
• Ethiopian Empire – Dawit II (1508–1540)
• Kingdom of Kongo – Alfonso I, Manikongo (1509–1542)
• Sennar Sultanate – Nayil (1533/4 - 1550/1)
• Songhai Empire – Askia Isma'il, Askia of the Songhai Empire (1537–1539)

Asia

• Ahom Kingdom – Suhungmung (1497–1539)
• Aceh Sultanate – Salahuddin of Aceh (1530–1539)
• Bengal Sultanate –
  1. Ghiyasuddin Mahmud Shah (1533–1538)
  2. Khizr Khan (1538–1541)
• China (Ming dynasty) - Jiajing Emperor (1521–1567)
• Jaffna Kingdom – Cankili I (1519–1561)
• Japan (Sengoku period)
  • Monarch – Emperor Go-Nara (1526–1557)
  • Ashikaga shogunate - Ashikaga Yoshiharu (1521–1546)
• Joseon (Korea) – Jungjong (1506–1544)
• Sultanate of Maguindanao – Sharif Kabungsuwan (1520–1543)
• Ryukyu Kingdom – Shō Sei (1527–1555)
• Sultanate of Sulu – Muizzul-Mutawadi-in (1527–1548)
• Tibet (Phagmodrupa dynasty) – Ngawang Tashi Drakpa (1499–1564)
• Vijayanagara Empire – Achyuta Deva Raya (1529–1542)

Europe

• Kingdom of Denmark and Norway – Christian III (1534–1559)
• Kingdom of England – Henry VIII (1509–1547)
• Kingdom of France – Francis I (1515–1547)
• Republic of Genoa – Giovanni Battista Doria, Doge of Genoa (1537–1539)
• Holy Roman Empire – Charles V (1519–1556)
  • Duchy of Bavaria – Louis X (1516–1545)
  • Bishopric of Trent – Bernardo Clesio (1514–1539)
• Hungary -
  • Royal Hungary – Ferdinand I (1526–1564)
  • Eastern Hungarian Kingdom – John Zápolya (1526–1540)
• Polish–Lithuanian union – Sigismund I the Old, Grand Duke of Lithuania and King of Poland (1506–1548)
• Duchy of Mantua – Federico II (1500–1540)
• Ottoman (Turkish) Empire – Suleiman the Magnificent (1520–1566)
• Papal States – Pope Paul III (1534–1549)
• Kingdom of Portugal and the Algarves – John III (1521–1557)
• Grand Duchy of Moscow – Ivan IV, Grand Prince of Moscow (1533–1547) then Tsar of Russia (1547–1584)
• Duchy of Savoy – Charles III (1504–1553)
• Kingdom of Scotland – James V (1513–1542)
• Kingdom of Spain – Charles I (1516–1556)
• Kingdom of Sweden – Gustav I Vasa (1521–1560)
• Republic of Venice
  1. Andrea Gritti, Doge of Venice (1523–1538)
  2. Pietro Lando, Doge of Venice (1538–1545)

Middle East

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