List of state leaders in 1556

This is a list of heads of state, government leaders, and other rulers in the year 1556.

Africa

• Ethiopian Empire – Gelawdewos (1540–1559)
• Kingdom of Kongo – Diogo I, Manikongo (1545–1561)
• Sennar Sultanate – Abd al-Qadir I (1550/1 - 1557/8)
• 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)
• India - Hemu, claimed to be Emperor of India, rule centered in Bengal/Bihar (1555–1556)
• Japan (Sengoku period)
  • Monarch – Emperor Go-Nara (1526–1557)
  • Ashikaga shogunate - Ashikaga Yoshiteru (1546–1565)
• Joseon (Korea) – Myeongjong (1545–1567)
• Mughal Empire –
  1. Humayun (1530–1540, 1555–1556)
  2. Jalaluddin Muhammed Akbar (1556–1605)
• Ryukyu Kingdom – Shō Gen (1556–1572)
• Sultanate of Sulu – Sultan Nasir ud-Din I (1548–1568)
• Vijayanagara Empire – Rama Raya (1542–1565)

Europe

• Crimean Khanate – Devlet I Giray, Khan of Crimea (1551–1577)
• Kingdom of Denmark and Norway – Christian III (1534–1559)
  • Duchy of Schleswig – Adolphus (1544–1586), Christian III (1523–1559), and John II (1544–1580) in condominial rule
• Kingdom of England – Mary I (1553–1558)
• Kingdom of France – Henry II (1547–1559)
• Holy Roman Empire –
  1. Charles V (1519–1556)
  2. Ferdinand I (1556–1564)
  • Duchy of Holstein – Adolphus (1544–1586), Christian III (1523–1559), and John II (1544–1580) in condominial rule
• 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)
• Ottoman (Turkish) Empire – Suleiman the Magnificent (1520–1566)
• Kingdom of Navarre – Jeanne III (1555–1572)
• Kingdom of Portugal and the Algarves – John III the Pious (1521–1557)
• Grand Duchy of Moscow – Ivan IV, the Terrible, Grand Prince of Moscow (1533–1547) then Tsar of Russia (1547–1584)
• Kingdom of Scotland Mary, Queen of Scots (1542–1567)
• Kingdom of Spain
  1. Charles I (1515–1556) (abdicated)
  2. Philip II (1556–1598)
• Kingdom of Sweden – Gustav I Vasa (1521/1523–1560)
• Republic of Venice –
  1. Francesco Venier, Doge of Venice (1554–1556)
  2. Lorenzo Priuli, Doge of Venice (1556–1559)

Middle East and North Africa

• Morocco (Saadi dynasty) - Mohammed ash-Sheikh (1544–1557)
• Safavid Empire – Tahmasp I, Shah of Iran (1524–1576)