November 21, 2024 | Jesse Singer

The Longest-Reigning Monarchs In History


It's Reigning Monarchs

There have been many monarchs of many different states throughout history. Here are the 25 who have reigned the longest—with the only caveat being we will only be looking at monarchs of states who were internationally recognized as sovereign for most/all of their reign.

25: Conrad I

State: Burgundy

Reign: July 12, 937 - October 19, 993 (56 years, 99 days)

Known as "the Peaceful", Conrad I reigned from 937 until his passing in 993.

Denier Of Conrad The PeacefulCGB, Wikimedia Commons

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24: James VI And I

State: Scotland

Reign: July 24, 1567 - March 27, 1625 (57 years, 246 days)

He began his reign as James VI, King of Scotland in 1567—and in 1603, he became James I, King of England and Ireland, following the union of the Scottish and English crowns.

Painting of King James I of England - circa 1605John de Critz, Wikimedia Commons

23: Wilhelmina

State: Netherlands

Reign: November 23,1890 - September 4,1948 (57 years, 286 days)

She was Queen of the Netherlands—and her more than 57-year reign makes her the longest-reigning female monarch outside the UK.

Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands - circa January 1948 and circa April 1948Jacob Merkelbach, Wikimedia Commons

22: Nicholas I

State: Principality of Montenegro (1860–1910), Kingdom of Montenegro (1910–1918)

Reign: August 13,1860 - November 26, 1918 (58 years, 105 days)

Nicholas I was the last monarch of Montenegro and the principality's first and only king.

Nicholas I Of Montenegro - circa 1921Unknown Author , Wikimedia Commons

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21: Al-Mustansir Billah

State: Fatimid Caliphate (Egypt)

Reign: June 13, 1036 - December 29, 1094 (58 years, 199 days)

Billah was the eighth Fatimid Caliph.

Calif al Mustansir MisrPHGCOM, Wikimedia Commons

20: Pedro II

State: Brazil

Reign: April 7, 1831 - November 15,1889 (58 years, 222 days)

Pedro II (the Magnanimous) was the last monarch of the Empire of Brazil.

Portrait of Pedro II of Brazil - 1876Mathew Benjamin Brady, Wikimedia Commons

19: Louis XV

State: France

Reign: September 1,1715 - May 10, 1774 (58 years, 251 days)

Louis XV succeeded his great-grandfather Louis XIV when he was five years old. However, until he reached maturity (13 years old) in 1723, the kingdom was ruled by his grand-uncle.

Painting of Louis XV in Coronation Robes - 1730Hyacinthe Rigaud, Wikimedia Commons

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18: George III

State: Great Britain, Ireland, United Kingdom

Reign: October 25, 1760 - January 29,1820 (59 years, 96 days)

In the later years of his life, George had some mental illness. The exact nature of which is not known for sure, but historians and medical experts tend to think that the symptoms and behaviors were consistent with possibly bipolar disorder or porphyria.

Painting of King George III in coronation robes - circa 1765Allan Ramsay, Wikimedia Commons

17: Christian IV

State: Denmark–Norway

Reign: April 4, 1588 - February 28, 1648 (59 years, 330 days)

This King of Norway's reign was the longest in Scandinavian history.

Christian IV of Denmark - circa 1612Pieter Isaacsz, Wikimedia Commons

16: Qianlong Emperor

State: China

Reign: October 18, 1735 - February 9, 1796 (60 years, 114 days)

While his official reign as Emperor ended with his abdication in 1796, he kept ultimate power until his passing three years later, in 1799.

Emperor Qianlong in his studies - 18th centuryGiuseppe Castiglione, Wikimedia Commons

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15: Kʼakʼ Tiliw Chan Yopaat

State: Quiriguá (Guatemala)

Reign: December 29, 724 - July 27, 785 (60 years, 210 days)

The leader of this ancient Mayan city-state was known by many names, including: Cauac Sky, Kawak Sky, Butsʼ Tiliw, and Butzʼ Tiʼliw.

Quiriguastela maya KingStuardo Herrera, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

14: Itzamnaaj Bahlam III

State: Yaxchilan (Mexico)

Reign: October 20, 681 - June 15, 742 (60 years, 238 days)

Itzamnaaj Bahlam III ruled the city of Yaxchilan (located in what is now Chiapas, Mexico) as Mayan King. He ordered the construction of many buildings during his reign—many of which are still there.

Itzamnaaj Bahlam IIIQuibik, Wikimedia Commons

13: Honoré III

State: Monaco

Reign: December 29, 1731 - January 13, 1793  (61 years, 15 days)

Honoré III ruled for over 61 years as the Prince of Monaco.

Portrait of Honoré III, Prince of Monaco - before 1745Jean-Baptiste van Loo, Wikimedia Commons

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12: Kangxi Emperor

State: China

Reign: February 5, 1661 - December 20, 1722 (61 years, 318 days)

The longest-reigning emperor in Chinese history.

Portrait Of The Kangxi Emperor In Court DressThe Palace Museum, Wikimedia Commons

11: Hirohito (Emperor Shōwa)

State: Japan

Reign: December 25, 1926 - January 7, 1989 (62 years, 13 days)

He was involved in the decision and approval of Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor.

Hirohito in dress uniform - 1935Unknown Author, Wikimedia Commons

10: James I

State: Crown of Aragon

Reign: September 12, 1213 - July 27, 1276 (62 years, 319 days)

James I the Conqueror was King of Aragon, Count of Barcelona, and Lord of Montpellier for all 62+ years—and King of Majorca from 1231 to 1276, and King of Valencia from 1238 to 1276.

Jaime I de AragónIncipit_Vidal_Mayor ,Wikimedia Commons

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9: Victoria

State: United Kingdom

Reign: June 20, 1837 - January 22, 1901 (63 years, 216 days)

Queen Victoria's reign is known as the Victorian era.

Portrait of Queen Victoria by Bassano, 1882.Alexander Bassano, Wikimedia Commons

8: Ferdinand III

State: Naoples, Sicily, Two Sicilies

Reign: October 6, 1759 - January 4, 1825 (65 years, 90 days)

Beginning in 1759, he was King of Naples as Ferdinand IV and King of Sicily as Ferdinand III—and although he was deposed two times, he kept coming back. In 1816, he began his reign as the King of the Two Sicilies—which he maintained until his death in 1825.

Portrait of Ferdinand I of the Two Sicilies - circa 1772-1773Anton Raphael Mengs, Wikimedia Commons

7: Chan Imix Kʼawiil

State: Copán (Honduras)

Reign: February 5, 628 - June 15, 695 (67 years, 130 days)

The 12th ruler of the Maya city state Copán, Chan Imix Kʼawiil was nicknamed "Smoke Jaguar".

Chan Imix KʼawiilDennis G. Jarvis, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

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6: Franz Joseph I

State: Austrian Empire, Austria-Hungary

Reign: December 2,1848 - November 21, 1916 (67 years, 355 days)

Franz Joseph I took over after his uncle Emperor Ferdinand I abdicated the throne—as part of a plan to end the Hungarian Revolution of 1848.

Emperor Franz Josef of Austria, in uniform, circa 1892, published 1903Károly Koller, Wikimedia Commons

5: Kʼinich Janaabʼ Pakal I

State: Palenque (Mexico)

Reign: July 27, 615 - August  29, 683 (68 years, 33 days)

Ajaw ("Lord") of the Maya city-state of Palenque, Kʼinich Janaabʼ Pakal reigned longer than any monarch in the history of the Americas.

K'inich Janaab Pakal IJami Dwyer,Simon Burchell, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

4: Johann II

State: Liechtenstein

Reign: November 12, 1858 - February 11, 1929 (70 years, 91 days)

Nicknamed "the Good", Johann II reigned as Prince of Liechtenstein for over 70 years.

Formal portrait of Johann II, Prince of Liechtenstein - 1928Hermann Clemens Kosel, Wikimedia Commons

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3: Rama IX (Bhumibol Adulyadej)

State: Thailand

Reign: June 9, 1946 - October 13, 2016 (70 years, 126 days)

He was given the title of Bhumibol the Great after his death. His fortune was estimated to be around $30 billion.

Bhumibol AdulyadejHarry Pot / Anefo, Wikimedia Commons

2: Elizabeth II

State: United Kingdom

Reign: February 6, 1952 - September 8, 2022 (70 years, 214 days)

Queen Elizabeth II took the throne—following the death of her father—at the age of 25.

Queen Elizabeth Ii Official Portrait For 1959 TourDonald McKague, Wikimedia Commons

1: Louis XIV

State: France

Reign: May 14,1643 - September 1, 1715 (72 years, 110 days)

Louis XIV, aka "Louis the Great", was only five years old when he became King of France. However, he didn't begin his personal rule of France until 1661. Following the passing of his chief minister, Cardinal Mazarin, Louis announced that he would take over the job himself.

He maintained his rule until his death in 1715—thus making him the longest-reigning monarch in history.

Painting Portrait of Louis XIV - between 1700 and 1701Hyacinthe Rigaud, Wikimedia Commons


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