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King James IV and I -

James IV was crowned king of Scotland in 1567, after his mother abdicated the throne. He later became James I of England, after Queen Elizabeth I died.

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King James IV and I -

You might recognize his name from the Bible he commissioned in 1604. James reigned for a total of 57 years.

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Queen Wilhelmina I of the Netherlands -

Wilhelmina became queen at the age of 10, following her father's death. Her mother acted as her regent until she turned 18. The monarch fled the country during World War II, returning in 1945. In 1948, Wilhelmina I abdicated the throne so her daughter, Juliana, could rule. Wilhelmina's reign lasted 57 years.

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Nicholas I -

Nicholas I became the crown prince of Montenegro in 1860. By 1910, he declared himself king of the recently-proclaimed sovereign state. Nicholas I ruled for 58 years.

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Pedro II -

Pedro II became (the last) emperor of Brazil when he was five. He was crowned in 1841 and became known as "The Magnanimous." A coup dictated the end of his rule of 58 years.

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Queen Elizabeth II -

Elizabeth became queen in 1952, following her father's death. In 2015, she overtook Queen Victoria as Britain's longest-reigning monarch, and became the longest-reigning queen in world history. Her reign lasted seven decades. 

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Queen Elizabeth II -

Apparently, the late queen wasn't phased. “Inevitably, a long life can pass by many milestones; my own is no exception,” she said at the time. 

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Louis XV -

Louis XV became the king of France in 1715. He involved the country in a number of wars and his popularity plummeted, eventually triggering the French Revolution. Louis XV reigned for 58 years.

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Honoré III -

Prince Honoré III of Monaco became king in 1733, following his father's abdication. He was eventually deposed in 1793, due to the French Revolution. Honoré III's reign lasted 59 years.

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King George III of England -

Ascending the throne in 1760, King George III also makes the list of the longest-reigning British monarchs. He became known for having studied science, founding the Royal Academy of Arts, and for his interest in agriculture.

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King George III of England -

King George III also went down in history for losing the American Revolution and for struggling with mental health issues. He was king for 59 years.

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King Christian IV -

Though the king of Denmark and Norway inherited the crown in 1588, at the age of 11, he was not crowned until he was older, in 1596. He infamously got his country involved in the Thirty Years' War. King Christian IV's reign lasted 59 years.

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Qianlong Emperor -

This Chinese emperor ruled from 1735 to 1796. For 60 years, Qianlong expanded the country's territory and sponsored the creation of the famous book collection 'Siku Quanshu.'

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Friedrich Günther, Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt -

Friedrich Günther became prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt (an area in Germany) in 1807. Günther ruled for 60 years, until his death in 1867.

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Kangxi Emperor -

The second emperor of the Qing Dynasty ruled China for 61 years. Kangxi led the country through a period of prosperity, opening some of China's ports to allow foreign trade, and encouraging education and the arts.

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Hirohito -

The 124th Emperor of Japan began his reign in 1926, following his father's death. Hirohito is the longest-reigning monarch in the country's history, at 62 years. His reign lasted until his death in 1989.

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James I The Conqueror -

The king of Aragon, also known as "The Conqueror," ruled for 62 years. He famously added the Balearic Islands and Valencia to his kingdom and was known for supporting the arts and education.

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Queen Victoria -

The second-longest reigning monarch in British history sat on the throne for 63 years. Queen Victoria's reign went down in history for its progressive changes and inventions.

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Basil II -

The co-emperor of the Byzantine Empire reigned for 65 years. 

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Constantine VIII -

Constantine VIII (right) ruled the Byzantine Empire with his older brother Basil II. He ruled for an extra year than his brother, for 66 years.

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Franz Joseph I -

Franz Joseph became emperor of the Austrian Empire in 1848. He ruled for 67 years, until his death in 1916.

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Kʼinich Janaabʼ Pakal -

This Maya king of Palenque, also known as "Pakal the Great," ruled for 68 years.

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Bhumibol Adulyadej -

King Bhumibol Adulyadej remains Thailand’s longest-reigning monarch following 70 years of leading the country. He passed away in 2016.

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Johann II, Prince of Liechtenstein -

The Prince of Liechtenstein ruled for 70 years, from 1858 until 1929.

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Louis XIV -

Louis became king at the age of four in 1643. The King of France and of Navarre, also known as the "Sun King," ruled for 72 years.

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Sobhuza II -

Ngwenyama Sobhuza II of Swaziland (now Eswatini) was first the Paramount Chief of the territory and later King of Swaziland.

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Sobhuza II -

Sobhuza II ruled until his death, in 1982. His reign lasted for 82 years, making it the longest reign in recorded history. 

Sources: (Mental Floss)

See also: World leaders with the longest reigns

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