1553 state leaders - Events of 1554 - 1555 state leaders - State leaders by year

Africa

• Ethiopia - Gelawdewos, Emperor of Ethiopia (1540-1559)
• Kongo - Diogo I, Manikongo (1545 - 1561)
• Sennar - Abd al-Qadir I (1550/1 - 1557/8)
• Songhai Empire - Askia Daoud, Askia of the Songhai Empire (1549-1582)

Asia

• China (Ming Dynasty) - Jiajing, Emperor of China (1521-1567)
• Japan
  • Monarch - Go-Nara, Emperor of Japan (1526-1557)
  • Shogun (Ashikaga) - Ashikaga Yoshiteru, Shogun of Japan (1546-1565)
• Korea (Joseon Dynasty) - Myeongjong, King of Joseon (1545-1567)
• Mughal Empire - Ibrahim Sur, Emperor of the Mughal Empire (1545-1555)
• Ryūkyū Kingdom - Shō Sei, King of Ryūkyū (1527-1555)

Europe

• Denmark-Norway - Christian III, King of Denmark and Norway (1534-1559)
• England - Mary I of England, Queen of England (1553 - 1558)
• Holy Roman Empire - Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor (1519 - 1556)
• Hungary -
  • Ferdinand I, Rival King of Hungary (1526-1564)
  • John II Zapolya, Rival King of Hungary (1540-1571)
• Lithuania-Poland - Sigismund II, Grand Duke of Lithuania (1544-1572) and King of Poland (1548-1572)
• Moldavia - Alexandru Lapusneanu, Voivode of Moldavia (1552-1561)
• Navarre - Henry II d'Albret, King of Navarre (1516-1555)
• Papal States - Julius III, Bishop of Rome (1550-1555)
• Portugal - John III the Pious, King of Portugal (1521-1557)
• Russia - Ivan IV the Terrible, Grand Prince of Moscow (1533-1547) then Tsar of Russia 1547-1584)
• Scotland - Mary I, Queen of Scotland (1542-1567)
• Sweden - Gustav I Vasa, King of Sweden (1521/1523-1560)
• Venice -
  1. Marcantonio Trivisan, Doge of Venice (1553-1554)
  2. Francesco Venier, Doge of Venice (1554-1556)

Middle East and North Africa

• Morocco - Mohammed ash-Sheikh, Sultan of the Saadi dynasty (1544-1557)
• Ottoman Empire - Suleiman the Magnificent, Sultan of the Ottoman Empire (1520-1566)
• Safavid Empire - Tahmasp I Shah of Iran (1524-1576)