
The World During Their Reign
The most notable rulers who held power elsewhere at the same time, from European courts to Ottoman, Mughal, and Chinese thrones.

Frederick II of Prussia
Prussia
1740–1786

George III of Great Britain
Great Britain
1760–1796

Catherine II of Russia
Russia
1762–1796

Joseph II, Holy Roman Emperor
Holy Roman Empire
1765–1790

Elizabeth I of Russia
Russia
1741–1762

Selim III
Ottoman Empire
1789–1796

Louis XV of France
France
1735–1774

Anna I of Russia
Russia
1735–1740

Frederick William II of Prussia
Prussia
1786–1796

Frederick William I of Prussia
Prussia
1735–1740

Charles III of Spain
Spain
1759–1788

Shah Alam II
Mughal Empire
1760–1788

George II of Great Britain
Great Britain
1735–1760

Louis XVI of France
France
1774–1791

Joseph I of Portugal
Portugal
1750–1777

Mahmud I
Ottoman Empire
1735–1754

Tokugawa Ieharu
Japan (Shogunate)
1760–1786

Francis I, Holy Roman Emperor
Holy Roman Empire
1745–1765

Mustafa III
Ottoman Empire
1757–1774

Abdul Hamid I
Ottoman Empire
1774–1789

Pope Pius VI
Papacy
1775–1796

Ferdinand VI of Spain
Spain
1746–1759

Muhammad Shah
Mughal Empire
1735–1748

Maria I of Portugal
Portugal
1777–1796

Philip V of Spain
Spain
1735–1746

Emperor Kōkaku
Japan
1779–1796

Gustav III of Sweden
Sweden
1771–1792

Pope Benedict XIV
Papacy
1740–1758

Emperor Momozono
Japan
1747–1762

Adolf Fredrik of Sweden
Sweden
1751–1771

Tokugawa Ieshige
Japan (Shogunate)
1745–1760

Charles IV of Spain
Spain
1788–1796

John V of Portugal
Portugal
1735–1750

Ahmad Shah Bahadur
Mughal Empire
1748–1754

Alamgir II
Mughal Empire
1754–1759
Meanwhile in history
One “meanwhile in history” story each week: who ruled where, and what was happening on thrones across the world.
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