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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
1760–1801
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
1789–1807
Louis XV of France
France
1715–1774
Anna I of Russia
Russia
1730–1740
Frederick William II of Prussia
Prussia
1786–1797
Frederick William I of Prussia
Prussia
1713–1740
Charles III of Spain
Spain
1759–1788
Shah Alam II
Mughal Empire
1760–1788; 1788–1806
George II of Great Britain
Great Britain
1727–1760
Louis XVI of France
France
1774–1791
Joseph I of Portugal
Portugal
1750–1777
Mahmud I
Ottoman Empire
1730–1754
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
1775–1799
Ferdinand VI of Spain
Spain
1746–1759
Muhammad Shah
Mughal Empire
1719–1748
Maria I of Portugal
Portugal
1777–1816
Philip V of Spain
Spain
1700–1706; 1714–1724; 1724–1746
Emperor Kōkaku
Japan
1779–1817
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
1788–1808; 1808–1808
John V of Portugal
Portugal
1706–1750
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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From the library
Go deeper on Qianlong Emperor
Hand-picked histories and biographies for readers who want more than the timeline: the same era, told in full.
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