Who ruled the world in 1500?
The age of discovery: 41 states on the map for 1500, 41 with a known leader. Open the interactive map and move the slider to 1500 to see their borders.
| State | Led by in 1500 |
|---|---|
| Adal Sultanate: Walashma dynasty | Muhammad ibn Azhar ad-Din (Sultan) details |
| Ashikaga shogunate of Japan | Go-Tsuchimikado (Emperor); Yoshizumi (Shōgun) details |
| Ayutthaya Kingdom | Ramathibodi II (King) details |
| Bornu Empire (Kanem–Bornu) | Idris Katakarmabe (Mai) details |
| Crimean Khanate | Meñli I Giray (Khan) details |
| Crown of Aragon | Ferdinand the Catholic (King) details |
| Crown of Castile | Isabella I the Catholic (Queen); Ferdinand the Catholic (King) details |
| Đại Việt | Lê Hiến Tông (Emperor) details |
| Duchy of Brittany | Anne (Duchess) details |
| England | Henry VII (king) details |
| Ethiopian Empire | Na'od (Emperor) details |
| France | Louis XII (King) details |
| Grand Duchy of Moscow | Ivan III (grand prince); Ivan III the Great (Grand prince) details |
| Hafsid dynasty | Muhammad IV (Khalif) details |
| Hanthawaddy kingdom | Binnya Ran II (King) details |
| Holy Roman Empire | Maximilian I (King) details |
| Inca Empire | Huayna Capac (Sapa Inca) details |
| Joseon | Yeonsangun (King) details |
| Kalmar Union of Denmark, Sweden, and Norway | John (King of Denmark) details |
| Khanate of Sibir | Abalak of Sibir (Khan); Muhammad Taibuga (Khan) details |
| Kingdom of Benin | Ozolua (Oba) details |
| Kingdom of Hungary (1301–1526) | Vladislaus II (King) details |
| Kingdom of Kongo | João I (Manikongo) details |
| Kingdom of Mrauk U | Salingathu (King) details |
| Kingdom of Mutapa | Chikuyo Chisamarengu (Mwenemutapa) details |
| Kingdom of Navarre | Catherine (Queen) details |
| Kingdom of Poland (1385–1569) | John I Albert (King) details |
| Kingdom of Scotland | James IV (King) details |
| Lan Xang | Somphou (King) details |
| Malacca Sultanate | Mahmud Shah (Sultan); Tun Perpatih Putih (Bendahara) details |
| Mali Empire: Keita dynasty | Mahmud III (Mansa) details |
| Mamluke Sultanate | Abu Sa'id Qansuh (Sultan); Al-Ashraf Janbalat (Sultan) details |
| Ming Empire | Hongzhi Emperor (emperor); Hongzhi (Emperor) details |
| Ottoman Empire | Bayezid II (sultan); Yakub Pasha (Grand Vizier) details |
| Papal States | Alexander VI (Pope) details |
| Phagmodrupa dynasty | Ngawang Tashi Drakpa (Monarch) details |
| Portugal | Manuel I (King) details |
| Songhai Empire | Askia Mohammad I (King) details |
| State of the Teutonic Order | Frederick (Duke of Saxony, Grand Master) details |
| Tenochtitlan of the Aztec Empire | Ahuitzotl (Hueyi Tlatoani) details |
| Venice | Agostino Barbarigo (doge) details |