List of state leaders in 1562

This is a list of heads of state, government leaders, and other rulers in the year 1562.

Africa

• Ethiopian Empire – Menas (1559–1563)
• Kingdom of Kongo – Bernardo I, Manikongo (1561–1566)
• 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)
• Banten Sultanate, Hasanudin (1552–1570)
• Sultanate of Brunei – Abdul Kahar (1521–1575)
• China (Ming dynasty) - Jiajing Emperor (1521–1566)
• Japan (Sengoku period)
  • Monarch – Emperor Ōgimachi (1557–1586)
  • Ashikaga shogunate - Ashikaga Yoshiteru (1546–1565)
• Joseon (Korea) – Myeongjong (1545–1567)
• Mughal Empire – Akbar (1556–1605)
• Ryukyu Kingdom – Shō Gen (1556–1572)
• Sultanate of Sulu – Sultan Nasir ud-Din I (1548–1568)
• Tibet – Ngawang Tashi Drakpa (1499–1564)
• 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 (1558–1564)
• Hungary -
  • Royal Hungary – Ferdinand I (1526–1564)
  • Eastern Hungarian Kingdom – John II Sigismund Zápolya (1540–1571)
• Moldavia – Despot Voda, Voivode of Moldavia (1561–1563)
• Kingdom of Navarre – Jeanne d'Albret (1555–1572)
• Ottoman (Turkish) Empire – Suleiman the Magnificent (1520–1566)
• Papal States – Pope Pius IV (1559–1566)
• Kingdom of Poland – Sigismund II Augustus (1548–1572)
• Kingdom of Portugal and the Algarves –
  • Monarch – Sebastian (1557–1578)
  • Regent –
  1. Catherine of Austria (1557–1562)
  2. Cardinal-Infante Henry (1562–1568)
• Russia - Ivan IV, the Terrible, Tsar of Russia (1533/1547–1584)
• 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)