List of state leaders in 1561

This is a list of heads of state, government leaders, and other rulers in the year 1561.

Africa

• Ethiopian Empire – Menas (1559–1563)
• Kingdom of Kongo –
  1. Diogo I, Manikongo (1545–1561)
  2. Afonso II, Manikongo (1561)
  3. 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 (1521–1567)
• Japan (Sengoku period)
  • Monarch – Emperor Ōgimachi (1557–1586)
  • Ashikaga shogunate - Ashikaga Yoshiteru (1546–1565)
  • Daimyos
    • Azai Nagamasa, Daimyo of the Azai clan
    • Tosa Province – Chōsokabe Kunichika
• Joseon (Korea) – Myeongjong (1545–1567)
• Malwa Sultanate – Baz Bahadur (1555–1561)
• Mughal Empire – Jalaluddin Muhammed Akbar (1556–1605)
• Ryukyu Kingdom – Shō Gen (1556–1572)
• Sultanate of Sulu – 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 Lăpușneanu, Voivode of Moldavia (1552–1561)
• Kingdom of Navarre – Jeanne III (1555–1572)
• Ottoman (Turkish) Empire – Suleiman the Magnificent (1520–1566)
• Kingdom of Portugal and the Algarves – Sebastian (1557–1578)
• Kingdom of Scotland Mary, Queen of Scots (1542–1567)
• Sedan - Henri Robert de la Marck, Prince of Sedan (1560-1574)
• 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 – Alexander 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)