List of state leaders in 1585

This is a list of heads of state, government leaders, and other rulers in the year 1585.

Africa

• Ethiopian Empire – Sarsa Dengel (1563–1597)
• Kingdom of Kongo – Álvaro I, Manikongo (1568–1587)
• Sennar Sultanate –
  1. Dakin (1568–1585/6)
  2. Dawra (1585/6-1587/8)
• Songhai Empire – Askia Al-Hajj, Askia of the Songhai Empire (1582–1586)

Asia

• Ahmadnagar Sultanate – Murtaza Nizam Shah I (1565–1588)
• Arakkal kingdom – Ali Raja Ali, Raja of Arakkal (1545–1591)
• Bali – Dalem Seganing, Raja of Bali (c. 1580–1623)
• Sultanate of Brunei – Muhammad Hassan (1582–1598)
• 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)
• Japan (Sengoku period)
  • Monarch – Emperor Ōgimachi (1557–1586)
  • de facto - Toyotomi Hideyoshi (1536–1598)
  • Regent (Kampaku) - Toyotomi Hideyoshi, Sesshō and Kampaku (1585–1598)
• Kachari Kingdom – Satrrudaman (1583–1613)
• Kashmir - Ali Shah
• Khanate of Khiva – Haji Muhammad I (1558–1602)
• Kamata Kingdom – Nara Narayan (1554–1586)
• Joseon (Korea) – Seonjo (1567–1608)
• Mughal Empire – Akbar (1556–1605)
• Ryukyu Kingdom – Shō Ei (1573–1586)
• Thatta – Juni Bek
• 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)
  • 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)
• 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)
  • Pope Sixtus V (1585–1590)
• Kingdom of Poland – Stephen Báthory (1575–1586)
• Russia
  • Tsar - Feodor I (1584–1598)
  • Regent – Boris Godunov (1584–1598)
• Kingdom of Scotland – James VI (1567–1625)
• Kingdom of Spain and Kingdom of Portugal – Philip II (1556–1598)
• Kingdom of Sweden – John III (1568–1592)
• United Provinces
  • Estates of Duchy of Brabant, Flanders, Friesland, Groningen, Guelders, Holland, Overijssel, Utrecht, Zeeland (1581–1795)
  • Robert Dudley, 1st Earl of Leicester, governor of the Netherlands (for queen Elizabeth I of England)
  • Stadtholder - Maurice of Nassau, Prince of Orange, Stadtholder of Holland and Zeeland (1585–1625)
• Republic of Venice –
  1. Nicolò da Ponte, Doge of Venice (1578–1585)
  2. Pasquale Cicogna, Doge of Venice (1585–1595)

Middle East and North Africa

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