List of longest reigning monarchs of all time 

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The list of longest reigning Monarchs of all time details monarchs and lifelong leaders who reigned for more than 50 years, sorted by length of reign:

Note: The table can be sorted alphabetically, chronologically or numerically using the Image:TableSortIconExample.gif icon.

Name Country Succession Reign Ended Length of Reign
1 Pepi II Neferkare1 Ancient Egypt !8721 2278 BC !7816 2184 BC 94y
2 Taejo2 Goguryeo (Korea) 53 146 93y
3 Sobhuza II3 Swaziland 1899-12-10 1982-08-21 82y, 9m, 11d
4 Jangsu Goguryeo (Korea) 0413 413 0491 491 78y
5 Tai Wu Shang (China) 0413 1486 BC 0491 1422 BC 75y
6 Louis XIV France 1643-05-14 1715-09-01 72y, 3m, 15d
7 Triệu Vũ Vương Triệu Dynasty (Ancient Viet Nam) 207 BC 136 BC 71y
8 Johannes II Liechtenstein 1858-11-12 1929-02-11 70y, 3m, 1d
9 Shapur II4 Persian Empire, Sassanid Dynasty 309 379 70y
9 Ponhea Yat Khmer Empire 1393 1463 70y
10 K'inich Janaab' Pakal Palenque 29 July 615 31 August 683 68y, 1m, 2d
11 Franz Joseph I Austria-Hungary 1848-12-02 1916-11-21 67y, 11m, 19d
12 Malietoa Tanumafili II5 Samoa 1940 2007-05-11 67y
13 Ramesses II Ancient Egypt !8721 1279 BC !8787 1213 BC 66y
14 Ferdinand III Sicily 1759-10-06 1825-01-04 65y, 2m, 29d
15 Sultan Ibrahim Johor (Malaysia) 1895-11-02 1957-05-08 64y
15 Amoghavarsha Rashtrakuta Empire 814 878 64y
16 Victoria United Kingdom and the British Empire 1837-06-20 1901-01-22 63y, 7m, 2d
17 James I Aragon 1213-09-12 1276-07-27 62y, 10m, 16d
18 Bhumibol Adulyadej (Rama IX) Thailand 1946-06-09 current(1) 62y+
19 Hirohito (Shōwa) Japan 1926-12-25 1989-01-07 62y, 0m, 13d
20 Kangxi Emperor6 Qing (China) 1661-02-07 1722-12-20 61y, 10m, 13d
21 Qianlong Emperor Qing (China) 1735-10-18 1796-02-08 60y, 3m, 21d
22 Saqr bin Mohammad al-Qassimi Ras Al Khaimah (United Arab Emirates) 1948-07-17 current(1) 60y+,
23 Christian IV Denmark 1588-04-04 1648-02-28 59y, 10m, 24d
24 George III United Kingdom and the British Empire 1760-10-25 1820-01-29 59y, 3m, 4d
25 Honoré III Monaco 1733-11-07 1793-01-19 59y, 2m, 12d
26 Louis XV France 1715-09-01 1774-05-10 58y, 8m, 9d
27 Pedro II Brazil 1831-04-07 1889-11-15 58y, 7m, 8d
28 Nikola I Principality and Kingdom of Montenegro 1860-08-13 1918-11-26 58y, 3m, 13d
29 Wu Ding Shang (China) 1250 BC 1192 BC 58y
29 Nan Zhou (China) 314 BC 256 BC 58y
29 Harald I Norway 0872 872 0930 930 58y
32 Wilhelmina The Netherlands 1890-11-23 1948-09-04 57y, 9m, 12d
33 James VI Scotland 1567-07-24 1625-03-27 57y, 8m, 3d
34 Honoré II Monaco 1604-11-29 1662-01-10 57y, 2m, 12d
35 Mithridates VI Pontus !9980 120 BC !9937 63 BC 57
35 Karl Eusebius Liechtenstein 1627 1684 57y
35 Sourigna Vongsa Lan Xang (Laos) 1637 1694 57y
38 Elizabeth II United Kingdom and the other Commonwealth realms 1952-02-06 current(1) 56y+
39 Henry III England 1216-10-19 1272-11-16 56y, 0m, 28d
40 Zhaoxiang Qin (China) 306 BC 250 BC 56y
40 Sargon of Akkad Akkadian Empire (Iraq) 2270 BC 2215 BC 56y
40 Emperor Mun Balhae 737 793 56y
40 Lý Nhân Tông Lý Dynasty (Viet Nam) 1072 1127 56y
40 Alfonso VIII Castile 1158 1214-10-05 56y
40 Mwezi IV Burundi 1852 1908 56y
45 Rainier III Monaco 1949-05-09 2005-04-06 55y, 10m, 27d
46 Mu Zhou (China) 977 BC 922 BC 55y
46 Nguyễn Hoàng Nguyễn Lords (Viet Nam) 1558 1613 55y
46 Ismail Morocco 1672 1727 55y
46 King Sisavang Vong Laos 1904 1959 55y
50 Emperor Wu of Han Han (China) 141 BC 87 BC 54y
50 Psamtik I Ancient Egypt 664 BC 610 BC 54y
50 Emperor Renzong Western Xia (China) 1139 1193 54y
50 Ntare IV Burundi 1796 1850 54y
53 Jinpyeong Silla 579 632 53y
53 Emperor Chongzong Western Xia (China) 1086 1139 53y
53 Frederick III German King 1440 1493-08-19 53y
56 Bimbisara Magadha Empire 543 BC 491 BC 52y
56 Tahmasp I Persian Empire, Safavid Dynasty 1524 1576 52y
56 Fan Yi Champa 284 336 52y
56 Lone Horn Lakota 1823 1875 52y
56 Yeongjo Joseon 1724 1776 52y
59 Haakon VII Norway 1905-11-18 1957-09-21 51y, 10m, 3d
60 Franz Joseph II Liechtenstein 1938-07-05 1989-11-13 51y, 4m, 8d
61 Peter IV Aragon 1336 1387-01-05 51y
61 Alfonso II of Asturias Asturias (Spain) 791 842 51y
61 Vinayaditya Hoysala Empire 1047 1098 51y
63 Mwambutsa IV Burundi 1915-12-16 1966-07-08 50y, 6m, 24d
64 Edward III England 1327-01-25 1377-06-21 50y, 4m, 27d
65 Ivan IV Russia 1533-12-03 1584-03-18 50y, 3m, 15d
66 Tuanku Abdul Halim Muadzam Shah Kedah (Malaysia) 1958-07-14 current(1) 50y+
67 An Dương Vương Thục Dynasty (Ancient Viet Nam) 257 BC 207 BC 50y
67 Bhavavarman I Khmer Empire 550 600 50y
67 Mentuhotep II Ancient Egypt 2060 BC 2010 BC 50y
67 Prince Brahmāthat of Chanthaburi Chanthaburi (Chanthaburi Ancient) 806 BC 856 BC 50y
67 Hantili II Hittite Empire 1500 BC 1450 BC 50y

"50" Thutmose III Ancient Egypt 1479BC-1425BC 54y

Footnotes

Note (1): The "Length of Reign" figure for current monarchs is correct as of 4 September 2008.

  1. ^ Pepi II's figure has been disputed by some Egyptologists who favour a shorter reign length of 64 years, given the absence of attested dates known for Pepi after his 31st Count, which would equate to 62 years assuming the count to be biennial.
  2. ^ Japanese legendary emperors, according to the ancient Japanese calendar, ruled for very long terms of 60-70 years each. The longest ruler of the legendary emperors, Emperor Kōan, was claimed to have ruled for about 101 years. These figures are not included in the table because they are regarded as inaccurate by modern scholars.
  3. ^ He was proclaimed king at the age of four months, and his grandmother, Labotsibeni Mdluli, acted as regent until 22 December 1921: Swaziland National Trust Commission website, retrieved 29 August 2008. TheRoyalist.net takes the date of succession as the date on which his grandmother handed over the royal duties to him, not when he was proclaimed king.
  4. ^ Shapur II was crowned in utero: the crown was placed upon his mother's belly. This child, named Shapur, was therefore born king; the government was conducted by his mother and the magnates.
  5. ^ New Zealand administered Western Samoa first as a League of Nations Mandate and then as a United Nations trusteeship until the country received its independence on 1 January 1962 as Western Samoa.
  6. ^ His father died in his early twenties, and as Kangxi was not able to rule in his minority, the Emperor Shunzhi appointed Sonin, Suksaha, Ebilun, and Oboi as the Four Regents. Sonin died soon after his granddaughter was made the Empress, Heseli, leaving Suksaha at odds with Oboi politically. In a fierce power struggle, Oboi had Suksaha put to death, and seized absolute power as sole Regent. For a while Kangxi and the Court accepted this arrangement. In 1669 the Emperor arrested Oboi with help from the Xiao Zhuang Grand Dowager Empress and began to take control of the country himself.

See also