1563 state leaders - Events of 1564 - 1565 state leaders - State leaders by year

Africa

• Ethiopia - Sarsa Dengel, Emperor of Ethiopia (1563-1597)
• Kongo - Bernardo I, Manikongo (1561 - 1566)
• Sennar - Abu Sakikin (1557/8 - 1568)
• Songhai Empire - Askia Daoud, Askia of the Songhai Empire (1549-1582)

Asia

• China (Ming Dynasty) - Jiajing, Emperor of China (1522-1567)
• Japan
  • Monarch - Ogimachi, Emperor of Japan (1557-1586)
  • Shogun (Ashikaga) - Ashikaga Yoshiteru, Shogun of Japan (1546-1565)
  • de facto - Miyoshi Nagayoshi and Matsunaga Hisahide
• Korea (Joseon Dynasty) - Myeongjong, King of Joseon (1545-1567)
• Mughal Empire - Akbar, Mughal Emperor (1556-1605)
• Ryūkyū Kingdom - Shō Gen, King of Ryūkyū (1556-1572)

Europe

• Denmark - Frederick II, King of Denmark (1559-1588)
• England - Elizabeth I, Queen of England (1558 - 1603)
• France
  • Monarch - Charles IX, King of France (1560-1574)
  • Regent - Catherine de' Medici, Queen Mother (1560-1589)
• Holy Roman Empire -
  1. Ferdinand I (1556-1564)
  2. Maximilian II (1564-1576)
• Hungary -
  • Ferdinand I, Rival King of Hungary (1526-1564)
  • John II Zapolya, Rival King of Hungary (1540-1571)
• Navarre - Jeanne d'Albret, Queen of Navarre (1555-1572)
• Papal States - Pius IV, Pope (1559-1565)
• Portugal - Sebastian of Portugal, King of Portugal (1557-1578)
• Russia - Ivan IV the Terrible, Tsar of Russia (1547-1584)
• Scotland Mary, Queen of Scots (1542-1567)
• Spain - Philip II, King of Spain (1556-1598)
• Sweden - Eric XIV, King of Sweden (1560-1568)
• Venice - Giorolamo Priuli, Doge of Venice (1559-1567)
• Wallachia - Petre cel Tanar, Voivode of Wallachia (1559-1568)
• Khanate of Crimea - Devlet I Giray, Khan of Crimea (1551-1577)

Middle East and North Africa

• Morocco - Abdallah al-Ghalib, Sultan of the Saadi dynasty (1557-1574)
• Ottoman Empire - Suleiman the Magnificent, Sultan of the Ottoman Empire (1520-1566)
• Safavid Empire - Tahmasp I Shah of Iran (1524-1576)