List of state leaders in 1581

This is a list of heads of state, government leaders, and other rulers in the year 1581.

Africa

• Ethiopian Empire – Sarsa Dengel (1563–1597)
• Kingdom of Kongo – Álvaro I, Manikongo (1568–1587)
• Sennar Sultanate – Dakin (1568–1585/6)
• Songhai Empire – Askia Daoud, Askia of the Songhai Empire (1549–1582)

Asia

• Ahmadnagar Sultanate – Murtaza Nizam Shah I (1565–1588)
• Arakkal kingdom – Ali Raja Ali, Raja of Arakkal (1545–1591)
• Bijapur Sultanate
  • Sultan – Ibrahim Adil Shah II (1580–1627)
  • Regent – Chand Bibi, 1580–1590
• Khanate of Khiva – Abdullah Khan II (1577–1598)
• China (Ming dynasty) - Wanli Emperor (1573–1620)
• Đại Việt – Lê Thế Tông (1573–1599)
  • Đàng Ngoài – Trịnh Tùng, Trịnh lord (1570–1623)
  • Đàng Trong – Nguyễn Hoàng, Nguyễn lord (1558–1613)
• Jaffna Kingdom – Periyapillai (1565–1582)
• Japan (Azuchi–Momoyama period)
  • Monarch – Emperor Ōgimachi (1557–1586)
  • de facto - Oda Nobunaga (1536–1598)
• Kantipur – Sadashiva Malla (1574–1583)
• Khanate of Khiva – Haji Muhammad I (1558–1602)
• Joseon (Korea) – Seonjo (1567–1608)
• Mughal Empire – Akbar (1556–1605)
• Ryukyu Kingdom – Shō Ei (1573–1586)
• Philippines (Las islas Filipinas)

• Lorenzo Suárez de Mendoza, Viceroy of New Spain (1580–1583)
• Gonzalo Ronquillo de Peñalosa, Governor General and Captain General of the Philippines (1580–1583)

• Vijayanagara Empire – Sriranga Deva Raya (1572–1586)

Europe

• Kingdom of Denmark and Norway – Frederick II (1559–1588)
  • Duchy of Schleswig – Adolf (1544–1586) and Frederick II (1559–1588) in condominial rule
• Kingdom of England – Elizabeth I (1558–1603)
• Kingdom of France – Henry III (1574–1589)
• Holy Roman Empire – Rudolf II (1576–1612)
  • Duchy of Bavaria – William V (1579–1597)
  • Prince-Archbishopric of Bremen – Henry III (1567–1585)
  • Duchy of Holstein – Adolf (1544–1586) and Frederick II (1559–1588) in condominial rule
  • Prince-Bishopric of Osnabrück – Henry II (1574–1585)
  • Prince-Bishopric of Paderborn – Henry IV (1577–1585)
  • Remiremont Abbey – Barbara of Salm
• Royal Hungary – Rudolf II, Holy Roman Emperor (as Rudolf I) (1576–1608)
• Kingdom of Navarre – Henry III (1572–1610)
• Ottoman (Turkish) Empire – Murad III (1574–1595)
• Papal States – Pope Gregory XIII (1572–1585)
• Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth – Anna Jagiellon and Stephen Báthory, co-monarchs (1574–1586)
• Grand Duchy of Moscow – Ivan IV, the Terrible, Grand Prince of Moscow (1533–1547) then Tsar of Russia (1547–1584)
• Kingdom of Portugal – Philip II of Spain (as Philip I) (1556–1598)
• Kingdom of Scotland – James VI (1567–1625)
• Kingdom of Spain – Philip II (1556–1598)
• Kingdom of Sweden – John III (1568–1592)
• Union of Utrecht later United Provinces
  • Estates of Duchy of Brabant, Flanders, Friesland, Groningen, Guelders, Holland, Overijssel, Utrecht, Zeeland (1581–1795)
  • William the Silent, Prince of Orange, Leader of the resistance (1568–1584)
    • Holland – Grand Pensionary Paulus Buys (1572–1584)
• Republic of Venice – Nicolò da Ponte, Doge of Venice (1578–1585)

Middle East and North Africa

• Morocco (Saadi dynasty) - Ahmad I al-Mansur Saadi (1578–1603)
• Safavid Empire – Mohammad Khodabanda, Shah of Iran (1578–1587)