List of emperors

list of emperors

Written and fact-checked by

Britannica Editors

This is a list of notable emperors organized alphabetically by empire and chronologically years of reign. China and India are broken down chronologically by dynasty, empire, or kindgom.

Austrian Empire

Ferdinand (I) (1835–48)
Charles (I) (1916–18)

Aztec empire

Montezuma II (1502–20)
Cuauhtémoc (1520–22)

Empire of Brazil (1822–89)

Pedro I (1822–31)
Pedro II (1841–89)

Byzantine Empire (330 ce–1453)

Anastasius I (491–518)
Justin I (518–527)
Justinian I (527–565)
Justin II (565–578)
Maurice (582–602)
Phocas (602–610)
Heraclius (610–641)
Heraclonas (641)
Constantine III (January to April or May 641)
Constans II Pogonatus (641–668)
Constantine IV (668–685)
Justinian II (685–695; 705–711)
Philippicus Bardanes (711–713)
Anastasius II (713–715)
Leo III (717–741)
Constantine V Copronymus (741–775)
Leo IV (775–780)
Constantine VI (780–797)
Nicephorus I (802–811)
Michael I Rhangabe (811–813)
Leo V (813–820)
Michael II (820–829)
Michael III (842–867)
Basil I (867–886)
Leo VI (886–912)
Alexander (912–913)
Constantine VII Porphyrogenitus (913–959)
Romanus I Lecapenus (920–944)
Romanus II (959–963)
Nicephorus II Phocas (963–969, military emperor)
John I Tzimisces (969–976, military emperor)
Basil II (960, crowned as baby; 976–1025, sole emperor)
Constantine VIII (960, crowned as baby; 1025–28, sole emperor)
Michael IV (1034–41)
Michael V Calaphates (1041–42)
Constantine IX Monomachus (1042–55)
Michael VI Stratioticus (1056–57)
Isaac I Comnenus (1057–59)
Constantine X Ducas (1059–67)
Michael VII Ducas (1071–78)
Nicephorus III Botaneiates (1078–81)
Alexius I Comnenus (1081–1118)
John II Comnenus (1118–43)
Manuel I Comnenus (1143–80)
Alexius II Comnenus (1180–83)
Andronicus I Comnenus (1183–85)
Isaac II Angelus (1185–95)
Alexius III Angelus (1195–1203)
Alexius IV Angelus (1203–04)
Alexius V Ducas Mourtzouphlus (1204)
Baldwin I (1204–05)
Baldwin II Porphyrogenitus (1228–61)
Michael VIII Palaeologus (1261–82)
Andronicus II Palaeologus (1282–1328)
Andronicus III Palaeologus (1328–41)
John V Palaeologus (1341–91)
John VI Cantacuzenus (1347–54)
Andronicus IV Palaeologus (1376–79)
John VII Palaeologus (1390)
Manuel II Palaeologus (1391–1425)
John VIII Palaeologus (1408, crowned co-emperor; 1421–48)
Constantine XI Palaeologus (1449–53)

China

Qin dynasty (221–207 bce

Shihuangdi (221–210 bce)

Han dynasty (206 bce–220 ce)

Gaozu (206–195 bce)
Wendi (180–157 bce)
Jingdi (157–141 bce)
Wudi (141–87 bce)
Xuandi (74–49/48 bce)
Yuandi (49/48–33 bce)
Pingdi (1 bce–5 ce)
Guangwudi (25–57 ce)
Mingdi (57–75 ce)
Zhangdi (75–88 ce)

Xin dynasty (9–25 ce)

Wang Mang (9–23 )

Wu dynasty (220–280 ce)

Cao Pi (220–226)
Sun Quan (229–252)

Wei dynasty (386–534/535 ce)

Xiaowendi (471–499)

Jin dynasty (western, 265–316/317 ce)

Wudi (265–290)

Southern Liang dynasty (502–557 ce)

Wudi (502–549)

Sui dynasty (581–618 ce)

Wendi (581–604 )
Yangdi (604–617/618 )

Tang dynasty (618–907 ce)

Gaozu (618–626)
Taizong (626–649)
Gaozong (649–683)
Ruizong (684–690; 710–712)
Xuanzong (712–756)
Dezong (779–805)
Wenzong (827–840)

Later Liang dynasty (907–923 ce)

Zhu Wen (907–923)

Song dynasty (960–1279 ce)

Taizu (960–976)
Taizong (976–997)
Zhenzong (997–1022)
Renzong (1022–63)
Shenzong (1067–85)
Huizong (1100–1125/26)
Qinzong (1125/26–1127)

Xi Xia dynasty (1038–1227 ce)

Li Yuanhao (1038–48)

Southern Song dynasty (1127–1279 ce)

Gaozong (1127–62)
Ningzong (1195–1224)

Yuan dynasty (1206–1368 ce)

Kublai Khan (1271–94)
Temür (1295–1307)
Buyantu (1311–20)
Togon-temür (1333–68)

Ming dynasty (1368–1644 ce)

Hongwu (1368–98)
Yongle (1402–24)
Zhengtong (1435–49; 1457–64)
Jingtai (1449–57)
Zhengde (1505–21)
Jiajing (1521–1566/67)
Longqing (1566/67–72)
Wanli (1572–1620)
Tianqi (1620–27)
Chongzhen (1627–44)

Qing dynasty (1644–1911/12)

Shunzhi (1644–61)
Kangxi (1661–1722)
Yongzheng (1722–35)
Qianlong (1735–96)
Jiaqing (1796–1820)
Daoguang (1820–50)
Xianfeng (1850–61)
Tongzhi (1861–1874/75)
Guangxu (1874/75–1908)
Puyi (1908–1911/12)

Ethiopian empire (c. 1137–1936; 1941–74)

Fasilides (1632–67)
Tewodros II (1855–68)
Yohannes IV (1872–89)
Menilek II (1889–1913)
Haile Selassie I (1930–74)

French Empire (1804–14; 1852–70)

Napoleon I (1804–1814/15)
Napoleon III (1852–70)

German Empire (1871–1918)

William I (1871–88)
Frederick III (1888, for 99 days)
William II (1888–1918)

Empire of Haiti (1804–06; 1849–59)

Jean-Jacques Dessalines (1804–06)
Faustin-Élie Soulouque (1849–59)

Holy Roman Empire (800–1806)

Charlemagne (800–814)
Louis I (814–840)
Lothar I (823–855)
Louis II (850–875)
Charles II (875–877)
Charles III (881–887)
Guy II (891–894; legitimacy questioned)
Lambert of Spoleto (892–898)
Arnulf (896–899)
Louis III (901–905)
Berengar (915–924)
Otto I (962–973)
Otto II (967–983)
Otto III (996–1002)
Henry II (1014–24)
Conrad II (1027–39)
Henry III (1046–56)
Henry IV (1084–1105/06)
Henry V (1111–25)
Lothar III (1133–37)
Frederick I (1152–90)
Henry VI (1191–97)
Otto IV (1209–15)
Frederick II (1220–50)
Henry VII (1312–13)
Louis IV (1328–47)
Charles IV (1355–78)
Sigismund (1433–37)
Frederick III (1452–93)
Maximilian I (1493–1519)
Charles V (1519–56)
Ferdinand I (1558–64)
Maximilian II (1564–76)
Rudolf II (1576–1612)
Matthias (1612–19)
Ferdinand II (1619–37)
Ferdinand III (1637–57)
Leopold I (1658–1705)
Joseph I (1705–11)
Charles VI (1711–40)
Charles VII (1742–45)
Francis I (1745–65)
Joseph II (1765–90)
Leopold II (1790–92)
Francis II (1792–1806)

Incan empire (1438–1533)

Pachacuti Inca Yupanqui (1438–71)
Atahuallpa (1532–33)

India

Mauryan empire (321–185 bce)

Chandragupta (c. 321–c. 297 bce)
Bindusara (297–272/273 bce)
Ashoka (c. 273–232 bce)

Gupta dynasty (c. 4th–6th century ce)

Chandra Gupta I (320–c. 330 ce)
Samudra Gupta (c. 330–380 ce)
Chandra Gupta II (c. 380–c. 415 ce)

Mughal dynasty (1526–1727)

Bābur (1526–30)
Humāyūn (1530–40; 1555–56)
Akbar (1556–1605)
Jahāngīr (1605–27)
Shah Jahān (1628–58)
Aurangzeb (1658–1707)
Bahādur Shāh I (1707–12)
Muḥammad Shah (1719–48)
Aḥmad Shah (1748–54)
ʿĀlamgīr II (1754–59)
Shah ʿĀlam II (1759–1806)
Bahādur Shāh II (1837–58)

Japan

Ojin (fl. 3rd–4th century)
Tenji (668–672)
Shomu (724–749)
Kammu (781–806)
Uda (887–897)
Daigo (897–930)
Go-Sanjo (1068–72)
Shirakawa (1072–86)
Sutoku (1123–41)
Go-Shirakawa (1155–58)
Antoku (1180–83)
Go-Toba (1183–98)
Go-Daigo (1318–39)
Meiji (1867–1912)
Taisho (1912–26)
Hirohito (1926–89)
Akihito (1989–2019)
Naruhito (2019– )

Korean empire (1897–1910)

Kojong (1897–1907)

Mali empire (c. 1235–c. 1600)

Musa I of Mali (1307 [or 1312]–1332? or 1337?)

Mexican Empire (1821–24; 1864–67)

Agustín de Iturbide (1822–23, first empire)
Maximilian (1864–67, second empire)

Mwene Matapa empire (14th–16th century)

Mavura (1629–75)

Empire of Nicaea (1204–61)

Roman Empire (27 bce–476 ce)

Augustus (31 bce–14 ce)
Tiberius (14–37 ce)
Caligula (37–41 ce)
Claudius (41–54 ce)
Nero (54–68 ce)
Galba (68–69 ce)
Otho (January–April 69 ce)
Aulus Vitellius (July–December 69 ce)
Vespasian (69–79 ce)
Titus (79–81 ce)
Domitian (81–96 ce)
Nerva (96–98 ce)
Trajan (98–117 ce)
Hadrian (117–138 ce)
Antoninus Pius (138–161 ce)
Marcus Aurelius (161–180 ce)
Lucius Verus (161–169 ce)
Commodus (177–192 ce)
Publius Helvius Pertinax (January–March 193 ce)
Marcus Didius Severus Julianus (March–June 193 ce)
Septimius Severus (193–211 ce)
Caracalla (198–217 ce)
Publius Septimius Geta (209–211 ce)
Macrinus (217–218 ce)
Elagabalus (218–222 ce)
Severus Alexander (222–235 ce)
Maximinus (235–238 ce)
Gordian I (March–April 238 ce)
Gordian II (March–April 238 ce)
Pupienus Maximus (April 22–July 29, 238 ce)
Balbinus (April 22–July 29, 238 ce)
Gordian III (238–244 ce)
Philip (244–249 ce)
Decius (249–251 ce)
Hostilian (251 ce)
Gallus (251–253 ce)
Aemilian (253 ce)
Valerian (253–260 ce)
Gallienus (253–268 ce)
Claudius II Gothicus (268–270 ce)
Quintillus (270 ce)
Aurelian (270–275 ce)
Tacitus (275–276 ce)
Florian (June–September 276 ce)
Probus (276–282 ce)
Carus (282–283 ce)
Numerian (283–284 ce)
Carinus (283–285 ce)
Diocletian (East, 284–305 ce; divided the empire into East and West)
Maximian (West, 286–305 ce)
Constantius I (West, 305–306 ce)
Galerius (East, 305–311 ce)
Severus (West, 306–307 ce)
Maxentius (West, 306–312 ce)
Constantine I (306–337 ce; reunified the empire)
Galerius Valerius Maximinus (310–313 ce)
Licinius (308–324 ce)
Constantine II (337–340 ce)
Constantius II (337–361 ce)
Constans I (337–350 ce)
Gallus Caesar (351–354 ce)
Julian (361–363 ce)
Jovian (363–364 ce)
Valentinian I (West, 364–375 ce)
Valens (East, 364–378 ce)
Procopius (East, 365–366 ce)
Gratian (West, 367–383 ce; co-emperor with Valentian I )
Valentinian II (375–392 ce: crowned as child)
Theodosius I (East, 379–392 ce: East and West, 392–395 ce)
Arcadius (East, 383–395 ce, co-emperor; 395– 402 ce, sole emperor)
Magnus Maximus (West, 383–388 ce)
Honorius (West, 393–395 ce, co-emperor; 395–423 ce, sole emperor)
Theodosius II (East, 408–450 ce)
Constantius III (West, 421 ce, co-emperor)
Valentinian III (West, 425–455 ce)
Marcian (East, 450–457 ce)
Petronius Maximus (West, March 17–May 31, 455 ce)
Avitus (West, 455–456 ce)
Majorian (West, 457–461 ce)
Libius Severus (West, 461–465 ce)
Anthemius (West, 467–472 ce)
Olybrius (West, April–November 472 ce)
Glycerius (West, 473–474 ce)
Julius Nepos (West, 474–475 ce)
Romulus Augustulus (West, 475–476 ce)
Leo I (East, 457–474 ce)
Leo II (East, 474 ce)
Zeno (East, 474–491 ce)

Russian Empire (1721–1917)

Peter I (1682–1721, tsar; 1721–25, emperor)
Peter II (1727–30)
Ivan VI (1740–41)
Peter III (1762)
Paul (1796–1801)
Alexander I (1801–25)
Nicholas I (1825–55)
Alexander II (1855–81)
Alexander III (1881–94)
Nicholas II (1894–1917)

Serbian empire (1346–1371)

Stefan Dušan (1346–55)

Empire of Vietnam

Ly Bon (544–547)
Dinh Bo Linh (968–979)
Le Loi (flourished 1428–43)
Le Thanh Tong (1460–97)
Hien Vuong (1648–87)
Quang Trung (1788–92)
Gia Long (1802–20)
Minh Mang (1820–41)
Tu Duc (1847–83)
Ham Nghi (1884–86)
Duy Tan (1907–16)
Khai Dinh (1916–25)
Bao Dai (1926–45)

The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica

This article was most recently revised and updated by J.E. Luebering.