This is a list of the longest-reigning monarchs of all time, detailing the monarchs and lifelong leaders who have reigned the longest in world history, ranked by length of reign.
The following are the 25 longest-reigning monarchs of states who were internationally recognised as sovereign for most or all of their reign. Byzantine emperors Constantine VIII and Basil II, reigning for 66 years in total (962–1028) and for 65 years in total (960–1025) respectively, are not included, because for part of those periods they reigned only nominally as junior co-emperors alongside senior emperors.
Regencies are not counted against monarchs, hence King Louis XIV of France being listed first among the monarchs of sovereign states despite his mother Anne of Austria being his regent for eight years. A distinction is not made between absolute and constitutional monarchs, hence Elizabeth II being listed second despite being a figurehead her entire reign.
The current longest-reigning monarch, Hassanal Bolkiah of Brunei, is not included on the list because Brunei was not a sovereign state until 1984. Bolkiah will be eligible for inclusion if he is still reigning in 2040 and surpasses Conrad I's independent rule of 56 years, 99 days.
| Portrait | Name | State | Reign | Duration | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| From | To | (days)< | --Please read Talk:List_of_longest-reigning_monarchs/Archive_1#Reason_for_including_measurement_in_days for reasons why a days measurement column is included. Any other ideas as to how the problem can be solved are welcome. Thank you.--> | (years, days) | |||||
| 1 | Louis XIV | [1] | |||||||
| 2 | Elizabeth II | [2] [3] [4] | |||||||
| 3 | Rama IX (Bhumibol Adulyadej) | [5] | |||||||
| 4 | Johann II | [6] | |||||||
| 5 | Kʼinich Janaabʼ Pakal I | Palenque (Mexico) | [7] [8] | ||||||
| 6 | Franz Joseph I | [9] | |||||||
| 7 | Chan Imix Kʼawiil | Copán (Honduras) | [10] [11] | ||||||
| 8 | Ferdinand III | [12] | |||||||
| 9 | Victoria | [13] | |||||||
| 10 | James I | Crown of Aragon | [14] | ||||||
| 11 | Emperor Shōwa (Hirohito) | (1926–1947) (1947–1989) | [15] | ||||||
| 12 | Kangxi Emperor | (China) | [16] | ||||||
| 13 | Honoré III | [17] [18] | |||||||
| 14 | Itzamnaaj Bahlam III | Yaxchilan (Mexico) | |||||||
| 15 | Kʼakʼ Tiliw Chan Yopaat | Quiriguá (Guatemala) | [19] [20] | ||||||
| 16 | Qianlong Emperor | (China) | [21] | ||||||
| 17 | Christian IV | [22] | |||||||
| 18 | George III | [23] | |||||||
| 19 | Louis XV | [24] | |||||||
| 20 | Pedro II | [25] | |||||||
| 21 | Al-Mustansir Billah | Fatimid Caliphate (Egypt) | |||||||
| 22 | Nicholas I | [26] | |||||||
| 23 | Wilhelmina | [27] | |||||||
| 24 | James VI | [28] | |||||||
| 25 | Conrad I | Burgundy | [29] | ||||||
The table below contains 100 monarchs of states that were not independent sovereigns for at least a portion of their reigns.
These monarchs are grouped according to length of reign by year in whole numbers. Within each year-grouping, they appear in historical order. In a given year, there may have been a wide array of actual reign lengths based on days. Thus, this table does not present a precise ranking by length of reign. The list is limited to those that might reasonably be expected to lie within the range of those in the tables above, at minimum 56 years. The list is sorted alphabetically. states were sovereign. Japanese legendary emperors, according to the ancient Japanese calendar, reigned for very long terms of 60–70 years each. The longest ruler of the legendary emperors, Emperor Kōan, was claimed to have reigned for about 101 years. These figures are not included in the table because they are regarded as inaccurate by modern scholars. For those, see Longevity myths. Rulers with both independent and dependent rules are combined.
| Portrait | Name | Country | Reign | Duration(approx. years) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| from | to | |||||
| Min Hti[85] | (Myanmar) | 1374 | 95 years | |||
| Pepi II Neferkare | 94 years | |||||
| Taejo | (Korea) | 93 years | [86] | |||
| Nintoku | (Kofun period) | 86 years | [87] | |||
| Abd al-Muttalib | (Mecca, Saudi Arabia) | 81 years | [88] | |||
| Ermanaric | (Ukraine) | 80 years | [89] | |||
| Hanayos | (Thailand) | [90] | ||||
| Raja Sawai Basavalinga I Rajendra Udaiyar | Sundem (Portuguese India) | 80 years | [91] | |||
| Trần Minh Công | (Vietnam) | 79 years | [92] | |||
| An Dương Vương | (Vietnam) | 78 years | ||||
| Jangsu | (Korea) | 78 years | ||||
| Ram Singh I | (India) | [93] | ||||
| Abu'l-Jaysh Ishaq ibn Ibrahim | (Yemen) | 77 years | [94] | |||
| Azmat Tallah Khan | Rajouri (British India from 1712) | [95] | ||||
| Mirian III | (Georgia) | [96] | ||||
| Raisingh Deo | Patna (British India from 1712) | [97] | ||||
| Mulla Ismail | Dir (Pakistan, British India from 1712) | 76 years | [98] | |||
| Mohan Singh | (India) | |||||
| Otto I | Baden-Hachberg-Sausenberg (Holy Roman Empire) | |||||
| Jadunath Singh Mangaraj | (India) | [99] | ||||
| Johann Philipp | Stadion (Holy Roman Empire) | |||||
| (Indonesia) | 75 years | |||||
| Raja Abhiram Singh | Saraikela (British India) | |||||
| Sauromaces I | (Georgia) | [100] | ||||
| Sukhachain | Jind (British India from 1712) | |||||
| Tai Wu | (China) | |||||
| Vakhtang I Gorgasali | (Georgia) | |||||
| Uthiyan Cheralathan | (India) | [101] | ||||
| Wilhelm I | Sayn-Wittgenstein (Holy Roman Empire) | 74 years | ||||
| Yo-Tha | (Thailand) | |||||
| Afonso I Henriques | County of Portugal (1112–1139) (1139-1185) | 73 years | [102] [103] | |||
| Fazl Ali Khan II Bahadur | Banganapalle (Pakistan, British India from 1712) | |||||
| Gangesvara Anantvarman Chodaganga Deva | (India) | [104] | ||||
| Tezozomoc | (Mexico) | [105] | ||||
| Grigor II | Syunik (Armenia) | 72 years | ||||
| Raja Sang Tawal (Abdullah) | (Malaysia) | [106] | ||||
| Arwa al-Sulayhi | (Yemen) | 71 years | ||||
| Heinrich VIII | Fürstenberg-Wolfach (Holy Roman Empire) | Late | ||||
| Poppo IX | Henneberg-Aschach (Holy Roman Empire) | |||||
| Simon I | County of Lippe (Holy Roman Empire) | |||||
| Aarberg (Holy Roman Empire) | 70 years | |||||
| John Ulrich | Stadion (Holy Roman Empire) | |||||
| Rawat Kandhalji | Begun (India) | 1443 | 1513 | |||
| Muhtarram Shah Kator I | (Pakistan) | |||||
| Niandfo the Great | (Nigeria) | [107] | ||||
| Pandukabhaya of Anuradhapura | Kingdom of Anuradhapura (Sri Lanka) | [108] | ||||
| Shapur II | (Iran) | |||||
| Tshudpud Namgyal | Kingdom of Sikkim | |||||
| Jai Chandra Katoch | Lambagraon-Kangra (British Raj) | 69 years | ||||
| Gerlach IV | Isenburg-Grenzau (1220-1258) Isenburg-Limburg (1258-1289) (Holy Roman Empire) | [109] | ||||
| Henry VI | County of Gorizia (Holy Roman Empire) | |||||
| Huan | State of Qi (China) | [110] | ||||
| Sultan Deria Hassan | Isaaq Sultanate (British Somaliland from 1884) | [111] | ||||
| Alberto Azzo II | Margraviate of Milan and Este (Holy Roman Empire) | 68 years | ||||
| Bhagirathi Birabara Harichandan | Talcher State (British India) | |||||
| Debi Singh | Chanderi (British India from 1712) | |||||
| Ernest II | Oettingen-Wallerstein (Holy Roman Empire) | |||||
| Muhammad Jiwa Zainal Adilin II | (Malaysia) | [112] | ||||
| Hkun Ti | Mongpawn (Myanmar) | |||||
| King Obunumankoma | (Ghana) | |||||
| Louis II | Stadion (Holy Roman Empire) | |||||
| Malojirao III | Mudhol State (British India) | |||||
| Sizzo II | County of Schwarzburg (Holy Roman Empire) | |||||
| Eberhard II | Arenberg (Holy Roman Empire) | 67 years | ||||
| Gopal Singha Dev II | Mallabhum State | |||||
| Osman Mahamuud/ Uthman III ibn Mahmud | Majeerteen Sultanate (Italian Somaliland from 1889) | |||||
| Rawal Kehar Singh II | (India) | |||||
| Johann III | Sponheim-Starkenburg (Holy Roman Empire) | |||||
| Man Singh, Raja of Jhabua | (India) | |||||
| Robert I | Duchy of Bar (Holy Roman Empire) | |||||
| Lạng Chượng | (Vietnam) | |||||
| Sultan Abdul Kadir Moh Aidid | (Indonesia) | |||||
| Sultan Mahmud Shah II | (Malaysia) | |||||
| Eberhard I | Katzenelnbogen Junior (Holy Roman Empire) | 66 years | ||||
| Henry II | Isenburg-Grenzau (Holy Roman Empire) | |||||
| Narayana Rautara | (India) | Early | Mid | |||
| Rhamesses II | 31 May [113] | Late July or Early August | ||||
| Togbi Amedor Kpegla I | Anlo Ewe (Ghana) | |||||
| Zhao Tuo | ||||||
| (Indonesia) | 65 years | |||||
| Catherine De' Medici | Auvergne (France) | |||||
| Dayang Kalangitan | (Metro Manila, Philippines) | |||||
| Haydar Mohammad Khan Bahadur | Pathari State | |||||
| Matilda I | Nevers (France) | |||||
| Raja Miyan Syed Nuruddin Ali | Tarakote Raj | |||||
| Raja Raj Ram Singh I | ||||||
| Nandivarman II | (India) | |||||
| Pharnavaz I | (Georgia) | |||||
| Sagramji I Kumbhoji | (British India from 1712) | |||||
| Raja Ashoka Challa | (India) | |||||
| Albert V | Anhalt-Dessau (Holy Roman Empire) | 64 years | ||||
| Amoghavarsha | (India) | |||||
| Harisingh Vidyadhara | Dhenkanal State (India) | |||||
| Henry VI | Henneberg-Aschach-Römhild (Holy Roman Empire) | |||||
| Friedrich IV | County of Castell (Holy Roman Empire) | |||||
| Inere | (Nigeria) | |||||
| Khuman III | (India) | |||||
| Zhao | Song State (China) | |||||
| Zhuang I | State of Qi (China) | |||||
| Bagauda/Yakano | Kingdom of Kano (Nigeria) | 998/999 | 1063/1064 | 63 years | ||
| Andrew I | Vitré (France) | |||||
| Fahrettin Behramşah | (Turkey) | |||||
| Frederick I | Zollern (Holy Roman Empire) | |||||
| Ganapati Deva | (India) | |||||
| Hamirji | (India) | [114] | ||||
| Maharana Bhimdev Harisinhji Sahib | (India) | |||||
| Ngawang Tashi Drakpa | Phagmodrupa dynasty of Tibet (China) | , | , | |||
| Mahmud III | ||||||
| Naba Zombré | (Nigeria) | |||||
| Philip | Isenburg-Büdingen-Birstein (Holy Roman Empire) | |||||
| Pradip Shah | (from 1712) | |||||
| Raimund II | Principality of Orange (Holy Roman Empire) | |||||
| Rawat Sawai Megh Singh II | Begun (British India) | 1740 | 1804 | |||
| Rudolf I | Bregenz-Chur-Lower Raetia (Holy Roman Empire) | |||||
| Sheikh Sultan bin Saqr Al Qasimi | (United Arab Emirates) | |||||
| Sripurusha | (India) | |||||
| Jayavarman VIII | (Cambodia) | |||||
| Johann Gerhard | Manderscheid-Gerolstein-Bettingen (Holy Roman Empire) | |||||
| Vijaya Sena | (India) | |||||
| Abdul Jalilul Akbar | 62 years | |||||
| Bhola Bhima II | (India) | |||||
| Charles | Sayn-Wittgenstein-Sayn-Altenkirchen (Holy Roman Empire) | |||||
| Georg II | Montfort-Pfannberg (Holy Roman Empire) | |||||
| Henry I | Isenburg-Grenzau (Holy Roman Empire) | |||||
| Joseph Wilhelm Ernst | Fürstenberg-Fürstenberg (Holy Roman Empire) | |||||
| Kaloji I Panchanji | Dhrol (India) | |||||
| King Oldman | (Nicaragua and Honduras) | |||||
| Madhaba Rautara | (India) | |||||
| Oubri | (Nigeria) | |||||
| Phạm Phòng Át | (Vietnam) | |||||
| Prithvi Shah | (India) | |||||
| Askia Hanga the Great | (Niger) | 61 years | ||||
| Bhavsinhji I Ratanji | Bhavnagar State (British India from 1712) | |||||
| Chera Udaya Martanda Varma | (India) | |||||
| Cleomenes II | (Greece) | |||||
| Donnchadh MacMurrough Kavanagh | (Ireland) | |||||
| Francis William | Salm-Reifferscheid-Bedbur (Holy Roman Empire) | |||||
| Hyeokgeose Geoseogan | (Korea) | |||||
| Leon II | (767-778), (778-828) | |||||
| Moritz Kasimir I | Bentheim-Tecklenburg-Rheda (Holy Roman Empire) | |||||
| Nguyễn Thái Bình | (Vietnam) | |||||
| Peter II | Urgell (Catalonia, Spain) | |||||
| Orontes III | ||||||
| Otto I | Solms-Braunfels (Holy Roman Empire) | |||||
| Rao Shri Vijayraj Singh | (India) | |||||
| Ravi Varma Chera | (India) | |||||
| Winnemar | Manderscheid (Holy Roman Empire) | |||||
| Adesida I | Kingdom of Akure (Nigeria) | 60 years | ||||
| Aescwine | Kingdom of Essex (England) | |||||
| Ali ibn Dawud I | Kilwa Sultanate (Tanzania) | |||||
| (Indonesia) | ||||||
| Avinita | (India) | |||||
| Cleopatra II | ||||||
| Cynan Garwyn | (Wales) | |||||
| Kotokuhene Nana Attafua | (Ghana) | |||||
| Padam Singh Bundela | Jigni State (British India) | |||||
| Friedrich I | Salm-Blankenburg (Holy Roman Empire) | |||||
| Gerhard I | Schwarzburg–Hallermund (Holy Roman Empire) | |||||
| Gopinath Birabara Harichandan | Talcher State (India) | |||||
| Gusti Ngurah Agung II | Tabanan (Dutch East Indies) | Mid | ||||
| Heinrich II | Salm-Blankenburg (Holy Roman Empire) | |||||
| Hiero II | (Sicily, Italy) | |||||
| Henry I | Isenburg-Cleeberg (Holy Roman Empire) | 1167 | 1227 | |||
| Khingila | (India) | |||||
| Kilhan | Dhundhar (India) | |||||
| Krishna Chandra Mardraj Harichandan[115] | Nilagiri State | |||||
| Ludwig | Salm-Blankenburg (Holy Roman Empire) | |||||
| Matilda | Margraviate of Tuscany (Holy Roman Empire De jure) | |||||
| Mayadunne | (Sri Lanka) | |||||
| Mölambo | (Nigeria) | |||||
| Mutasiva | (Sri Lanka) | |||||
| Pawl | (Wales) | |||||
| Phromkuman | (Thailand) | |||||
| Pravarsena I the Great | (India) | |||||
| Sejakji, Thakore Sahib of Sejakpur | (India) | |||||
| Sophie | County of Bar (Holy Roman Empire) | |||||
| Sri Pravarasena II | (India) | |||||
| Vanaraja | (India) | |||||
| Vanghoji II Rao | (India) | |||||
| Bhaskara Ravi Manukuladithya | (India) | 59 years | ||||
| Kulashekara Alupendra I | ||||||
| Bu Jiang | (China) | |||||
| David I Anhoghin | (Armenia) | |||||
| Kulottunga I | Eastern Chalukyas, then Cholas | |||||
| Eberhard IV | Werdenberg-Trochtelfingen (Holy Roman Empire) | Winter | ||||
| Himiko | (Japan) | |||||
| Hu | State of Chen (China) | |||||
| Isenburg-Covern (Holy Roman Empire) | ||||||
| John the Magnificent | Poitou (France) | |||||
| Muhammad Bayazid Khan Bahadur | (1600–1657) (1657–1659) (India) | |||||
| Nawab Asad Ali Khan | Basoda State | |||||
| Raja Alhad Singh | Pratihar Rajputs of Nagod State (descendants of Gurjara-Pratihara dynasty) | |||||
| Nguyễn Lệnh công/ Vũ Ninh vương | (Vietnam) | |||||
| Konrad I the Scheerer | Tübingen (Holy Roman Empire) | |||||
| Otto I | Salm-Kyrburg (Holy Roman Empire) | |||||
| Raja Adesinhji I | Bhaderwah (British India) | |||||
| Renaud II, Count of Orange | Principality of Orange (Holy Roman Empire) | |||||
| Sri Tegin Shah | (Afghanistan) | Autumn | ||||
| William III | County of Toulouse (France) | |||||
| William IV | Jülich (Holy Roman Empire) | |||||
| Wu Ding | Shang dynasty (China) | |||||
| Gomani II Phillip | (Malawi) | 58 years | ||||
| Guled Abdi | (Somaliland) | |||||
| Harald I Fairhair | ||||||
| Henry II | Baden-Hachberg (Holy Roman Empire) | |||||
| Henry IV | Henneberg-Schleusingen (Holy Roman Empire) | |||||
| Mwezi IV Gisabo | ||||||
| Nan | (China) | |||||
| Rudolf II | Sargans-Werdenberg (Holy Roman Empire) | |||||
| Nedum Cheralathan | (India) | |||||
| Jadumani Rautara | (India) | Winter | ||||
| Jayaba Mukne | (India) | |||||
| Jit Sen | Suket (British India from 1712) | |||||
| Muhammad Shafi Ud-Din II | (Borneo) | |||||
| Mulraj II | Jaisalmer (British India) | |||||
| Rajapala | (India) | |||||
| Ramasimhadeva | (India) | 1227 | 1285 | |||
| Rawat Shri Suraj Mal Sahib | (India) | |||||
| Rudolph I | Saxe-Wittenberg (Holy Roman Empire) | |||||
| Tuoba Liwei/Emperor Shenyuan | (China) | |||||
| Yusa | Kingdom of Kano (Nigeria) | 1136 | 1194 | |||
| Adolf Ludwig Wilhelm | Sayn-Wittgenstein-Karlsburg (Holy Roman Empire) | 57 years | ||||
| Balabhadra Rautara | (India) | |||||
| Bajradhar Narendra | Ranpur (India) | |||||
| Bernhard I | Bentheim-Bentheim (Holy Roman Empire) | |||||
| Qara Yuluk Uthman Beg | Aq Qoyunlu (Iran) | |||||
| Birakesari Deva I Bhagirathi Deva | Khurda Kingdom (British India) | |||||
| Deria Sugulle Ainanshe | (Somaliland) | |||||
| Jaswant Singh | Nabha (British India) | |||||
| Jing | (China) | |||||
| John | Waldburg-Waldsee (Holy Roman Empire) | |||||
| John II | Auxerre (France) | |||||
| Pharasmanes I the Great | (Georgia) | |||||
| Prithvi Chand | (British India from 1712) | |||||
| Kori | (Nigeria) | |||||
| Mithridates VI | (Turkey) | |||||
| Nasir al-Din Muhammad | ||||||
| Maredudd ap Tewdws | Kingdom of Dyfed (Wales) | |||||
| Rawat Sawai Anup Singhji II of Begun | Begun (British Raj) | 1890 | 1947 | |||
| Sargon | (Iraq) | |||||
| Sheikh Hamad bin Abdullah Al Sharqi | (United Arab Emirates) | |||||
| Sourigna Vongsa | (Laos) | |||||
| Orontes I | ||||||
| Vseslav II Bryachislavich | (Belarus) | |||||
| Yi Hham Hka | (Myanmar) | |||||
| Zhaoxiang | (China) | |||||
| Abas I | (Armenia) | 56 Years | ||||
| Berthold IV | Henneberg-Schleusingen (Holy Roman Empire) | |||||
| Bhup Singh | Nalagarh State (British India from 1712) | |||||
| Eberhard III | Nordgau (Holy Roman Empire) | |||||
| Genghis Khan | (1171–1206) (1206–1227) | |||||
| Gruffudd ap Cynan | (Wales) | |||||
| Harendra Narayan | Cooch Behar State (British India) | |||||
| Idris Ibn Abi Bakr | (Sudan) | |||||
| Mun | (Korea) | |||||
| Nripati Beta I Garuda | (India) | |||||
| Prithvisimhji Gajsinhji | Danta State (British India from 1712) | |||||
| Qasim Yaqut Khan | Jafarabad State (British India from 1712) | 1678 | 1734 | |||
| Sartanji II Vikmatji | Porbandar State (British India) | |||||
| Sultan Mustafa | Kota Pinang (Dutch Indonesia from 1816) | |||||
| Theodoric III | County of Montbéliard (Holy Roman Empire) | |||||
Book: . 1997 . Chronologie des Pharaonischen Ägypten . Mainz am Rhein . Philipp von Zabern . 9783805323109.
. George Coedès. Walter F. Vella. trans.Susan Brown Cowing. The Indianized States of Southeast Asia. 1968. University of Hawaii Press. 978-0-8248-0368-1.
