List of shortest-reigning monarchs
A monarch is the leader of a monarchy, a position usually intended to last for life or until abdication or deposition . The reigns of some monarchs have been notably short. Many of these monarchs acceded to the throne as a result of being first in an order of succession, while other monarchs claimed the throne as a result of conflict. The authenticity of some monarchs has been disputed, especially those who reigned during conflict. One factor in such debates is whether the monarch held the throne in a symbolic or nominal capacity.[clarification needed ]
Monarchs who reigned for less than a day
Portrait
Monarch
Reign
Length
Notes
Ref.
Louis XIX King of France
2 August 1830
About 20 minutes(disputed)
Heir-apparent of Charles X , who was forced to abdicate during the July Revolution . His abdication and his father's were announced through the same document, which refers to him as dauphin only. Louis Antoine is said to have been king between his father's signature and his own, but this does not appear to be historically accurate.
[ 1] [ 2] [ 3] [ 4]
Luís II King of Portugal
1 February 1908
About 20 minutes(disputed)
Carlos I was murdered in the Lisbon Regicide ; his heir-apparent Prince Luís Filipe was also fatally wounded in the attack. Because Luís Filipe survived his father by about 20 minutes, the Guinness Book of Records identifies him as the second-shortest reigning monarch. However, according to the Portuguese tradition, the new monarch must be proclaimed by the Cortes Gerais ; thus, the reign of Luís Filipe is disputed and not officially recognised. His younger brother, Manuel , who survived the attack, became the new king following his acclamation in the Cortes.
[ 1] [ 5]
Daughter of Xiaoming Emperor of Northern Wei
1 April 528
Less than a day
Proclaimed "Emperor" as an infant by her grandmother, Empress Dowager Hu , who passed her off as male. Later that same day, Hu admitted she was actually female and proclaimed Yuan Zhao as emperor. Official historical records never listed her as a legitimate sovereign.
[ 6] [ 7] [ 8]
Philip Antipope
31 July 768
Less than a day
Elected after the death of Pope Paul I . His election was declared invalid, and he was declared guilty of simony ; having been stripped of the pontifical garments, he was then personally forced to return to his monastery.
[ 9]
Emperor Mo Emperor of Jin
9 February 1234
Less than a day
Emperor Aizong abdicated in his favor while they were still besieged by the Mongols at Caizhou , then committed suicide by hanging. Killed while leading a charge in the streets of Caizhou
[ 10]
Celestine II Antipope
13/14 December 1124
Less than a day
Elected after the death of Pope Callixtus II . Abdicated a couple of hours into his papacy due to factional violence breaking out during the investment ceremony
[ 11]
Michael II Emperor of Russia
15 March 1917
Less than a day(disputed)
Succeeded after the abdication of Nicholas II . Made his accession conditional on the decision of the Provisional Government , contrary to the wishes of Nicholas, who abdicated without informing either. Numerous questions surround the existence of any "reign", starting with the legality, or lack thereof, of Nicholas's abdication to his brother while bypassing his son Alexei .
[ 12]
Min Shin Saw King of Burma
1167
Less than a day
Succeeded after the death of his father Sithu I , who was smothered by his younger son Narathu . Min Shin Saw was assassinated that same night on his brother's order.
[ 13]
Vira Bahu I King of Polonnaruwa
1196
Less than a day
Succeeded after the death of his father Nissanka Malla and crowned at night. He was assassinated at dawn by the commander-in-chief Tavuru Senevirat.
[ 14]
Michael Emperor of Trebizond (first reign)
30 July 1341
Less than a day
Acclaimed emperor after arriving with the intention to marry Irene Palaiologina , who had been overthrown by Anna Anachoutlou while the voyage was underway. He was deposed and imprisoned on that same night by Anna. He recovered the throne in 1344 and reigned for five years.
[ 15]
Soththisena King of Anuradhapura (Sinhala Kingdom )
434
Less than a day
He succeeded his father Mahanama as king and was succeeded by his stepsister, Chattagahaka Jantu . According to the Lesser Chronicle (Cūḷavaṃsa) of Sri Lanka, King Soththisena, the shortest reigning king of Sri Lanka, ascended the throne in the morning and was assassinated that evening in a palace conspiracy.
[ 16]
Other monarchs who reigned for less than a week
Portrait
Monarch
Reign
Length
Notes
Ref.
Napoleon II Emperor of the French
4–6 April 1814(first reign)
2 days(disputed)
His father Napoleon Bonaparte was declared deposed by the French senate on 4 April 1814, but his formal abdication was not proclaimed until two days later. On 6 April, Napoleon renounced all personal rights to the throne and also those of his descendants. The French Empire was subsequently replaced by the restored Kingdom of France under Louis XVIII .
[ 17]
Louis Philippe II King of the French
24–26 February 1848
2 days(disputed)
His grandfather Louis Philippe I abdicated on 24 February 1848, following the French Revolution of 1848 . The Second Republic was proclaimed two days later. He was later recognized by monarchist loyalists as "Louis Philippe II" or "Philip VII".
[ 18] [ 19]
Khalid bin Barghash Sultan of Zanzibar
25–27 August 1896
2 days
Succeeded after the death of his cousin, Hamad bin Thuwaini , who was likely poisoned by Khalid. He was forced to flee during the Anglo-Zanzibar War , which only lasted less than an hour.
[ 20]
Dục Đức Emperor of Vietnam
20–23 July 1883
3 days
Succeeded after the death of his uncle and adoptive father, Tự Đức . He was deposed and imprisoned by his regents Nguyễn Văn , Tôn Thất and Tran Tien . He died of starvation three months later.
[ 21]
Xiaowen King of Qin (China )
250 BC
3 days
Succeeded after the death of his father, King Zhaoxiang . It is speculated that he was poisoned by chancellor Lü Buwei .
[ 22]
Inayatullah Khan King of Afghanistan
14–17 January 1929
3 days
Succeeded after the abdication and flight of his brother, Amanullah Khan , during the uprising of Habibullāh Kalakāni . Abdicated in favour of Kalakani after he captured Kabul
[ 23]
Dipendra King of Nepal
1–4 June 2001
3 days
Proclaimed king after the murder of his father Birendra and most of his family in the Nepalese royal massacre , where he also shot himself and was left in a coma. Died of his injuries without regaining consciousness
[ 24]
Stephen (II) Pope
22 (or 23) – 25 (or 26) March 752
3 days(disputed)
Elected after the death of Pope Zachary . Died of a stroke. His pontificate is ambiguous because he died before his episcopal consecration . Because of this, he was removed from the official List of popes in 1961, and Pope Stephen III was redesignated as Pope Stephen II .
[ 25]
Lê Long Việt Emperor of Vietnam
1005
3 days
Succeeded after the death of his father, Lê Đại Hành . Assassinated on orders of his brother Lê Long Đĩnh , who succeeded him.
[ 26]
Lê Quang Trị Emperor of Vietnam
1516
3 days
Succeeded at the age of 8 after the murder of Lê Tương Dực . Murdered.
[ 27]
John II King of Portugal (first reign)
11–15 November 1477
4 days
King of Portugal for a brief period following his father 's retirement to a monastery. After he returned, John abdicated. He became the monarch again in 1481.
[ 28]
John I King of France and Navarre
15–19 November 1316
4 days
Posthumous child of Louis X ; king for the four days he lived.
[ 29]
Crateuas King of Macedon
399 BC
3 / 4 days
Succeeded Archelaus I as king; little is known about him. Some historians believe that Crateuas was one of several conspirators in Archelaus' death and that the claim that Crateuas held the throne after him is an embellishment.
[ 30] [ 31]
Mahinda VI King of Polonnaruwa
1187
5 days
Took the throne after killing Vijayabahu II . He was killed by Vijayabahu II's sub-king, Nissanka Malla .
[ 32]
Ioan Joldea Prince of Moldavia
September 1552
2–8 days
Succeeded after the assassination of Stephen VI by his boyars after a failed invasion of Transylvania . His reign length is disputed.
[ 33]
Baeda Maryam III Emperor of Ethiopia
April 1826
Few days
Placed on the throne by Dejazmach Haile Maryam, the governor of Semien , but was deposed by Ras Marye of Yejju a few days later, who restored Gigar to the throne.
[ 34]
Other monarchs who reigned for less than a month
Portrait
Monarch
Reign
Length
Reason for accession
Reason for reign's end
Henry V King of France
2–9 August 1830
7 days(disputed)
Abdications of Charles X and Louis XIX , his grandfather and uncle, during the July Revolution
Proclamation hijacked by regent Louis Philippe of Orleans who chose not to announce it as expected. The National Assembly then proclaimed Louis Philippe the King of the French , and Henry marched into exile.
Indra Bhattaraka King of Eastern Chalukyas
673
7 days
Made himself the monarch following the death of his elder brother Jayasimha I
Succeeded by his son Vishnuvardhana II , likely abdicated or was deposed
Sigeric King of the Visigoths
16–22 August 415
7 days
Assassination of Ataulf by a former retainer of Sigeric's slain brother, Sarus
Assassinated and replaced by Ataulf's relative Wallia . Some lists of kings exclude him for considering him a usurper.
Thong Lan King of Ayutthaya
1388–1389
7 days
Death of his father, Borommarachathirat I
Deposed and executed by Ramesuan
Zein Pun King of Martaban
April–May 1330
7 days
Assassinated King Saw Zein
Assassinated by Sanda Min Hla , widow of Saw Zein
Zimri King of Israel
885 BC or 876 BC
7 days
Assassinated King Elah
Committed suicide while under siege by Omri , who disputed the crown. His name became a byword for traitor.
Muhammad al-Badr King of Yemen
19–26 September 1962
8 days
Death of his father, Ahmad bin Yahya
Monarchy abolished, although he would lead the pro-monarchist forces during the North Yemen Civil War , until 1970
Saad Emir of Kuwait
15–24 January 2006
9 days
Death of Jaber III
Deposed by the National Assembly on the grounds of poor health
Irina Godunova Tsarina of Russia
17–26 January 1598
9 days (disputed)
Proclaimed after the death of her husband and distant cousin Feodor I . Ruled for 9 days as nominal tsar.
Abdicated in favour of her brother Boris Godunov . Her reign is sometimes counted as having ended on February 21, when her brother Boris was formally elected tsar by the Boyars.
Jane Queen of England and Ireland
10–19 July 1553
9 days(disputed)
Proclaimed at the Tower of London , per the will of her cousin Edward VI
Deposed and executed by Edward's sister, Mary I
Henry II King of Haiti
8–18 October 1820
10 days(disputed)
Suicide of his father, Henry I
Murdered before being formally proclaimed. The kingdom was subsequently annexed by the Republic of Haiti .
Igor II Grand Prince of Kiev
2–13 August 1146
11 days
Death of his brother Vsevolod II , announced on 1 August and proclaimed on 2 August
Forced to abdicate and replaced by Iziaslav II
Xuantong Emperor of Great Qing (second reign)
1–12 July 1917
11 days
Restored by monarchist general Zhang Xun ; he had last been emperor in 1912.
Restoration failed due to lack of support. Later became Emperor of Manchukuo
Urban VII Pope
15–27 September 1590
12 days
Elected after the death of Sixtus V
Died of malaria . Shortest-reigning Pope recognized by the Holy See
Louis II King of Holland
1–13 July 1810
13 days
Abdication and flight of Louis I after being pressured by Napoleon
Kingdom annexed by Napoleon
Bel-shimanni King of Babylon
484 BC
c. 14 days
Proclaimed king in Borsippa and Dilbat , in rebellion against the Achaemenid Empire
Succeeded by Shamash-eriba, either after giving up his claim voluntarily or being defeated by him
Eleanor Queen of Navarre
28 January – 12 February 1479
14 days
Proclaimed following the death of her father, John II
Died
Boniface VI Pope
April 896
15 days
Elected after the death of Formosus
Unclear; he died of gout or was deposed according to different sources. His election was declared null and void in 898.
Ali Ahmad Khan Emir of Afghanistan
17 January – 1 February 1929
15 days
Proclaimed Emir in Jalalabad in protest for Inayatullah Khan 's abdication on Habibullah Kalakani
Captured and ransomed to Kalakani, who had him executed
Ælfweard King of Wessex
17 July – 2 August 924
16 days(disputed)
Death of his father, Edward the Elder
Died. May have reigned in dispute with his elder brother Æthelstan , who succeeded him
Celestine IV Pope
25 October – 10 November 1241
16 days
Elected after the death of Gregory IX
Died of natural causes
Napoleon II Emperor of the French (second reign)
22 June – 7 July 1815
16 days
Abdication of his father, Napoleon I
Empire abolished, replaced by the Kingdom of France
Shang Emperor of Tang
8–25 July 710
17 days
Assassination of his father, Emperor Zhongzong , by Empress Wei and her daughter Li Guo'er who wanted to use the young Shang as their puppet
Deposed; Wei and Li Guo'er were murdered. Most traditional historians did not consider him legitimate and do not include him in the list of emperors of the Tang dynasty, but modern historians usually do.
Anikanga King of Polonnaruwa
1209
17 days
Assassinated his son , King Dharmasoka , who was an infant
Assassinated by General Vikkantacamunakka, who then surrendered control to former queen Lilavati
Robert I Count of Hiémois [fr ]
19 July – 6 August 1027
18 days
Was given a small state by his brother Richard III, Duke of Normandy
Death of his brother, at which point he became Duke of Normandy and left the title
Sisinnius Pope
15 January – 4 February 708
20 days
Elected after the death of John VII
Died, possibly of gout
Theodore II Pope
December 897
20 days
Elected after the deposition of Romanus
Died
Muawiya II Caliph of Islam
683–684
20 days to 4 months
Death of his father, Yazid I
Died of disease
Gordian II Roman Emperor
March–April 238
22 days
Father and son co-emperors proclaimed in rebellion against Maximinus Thrax in the so-called Year of the Six Emperors
Killed at the Battle of Carthage
Gordian I Roman Emperor
Committed suicide upon learning of his son's death
Marcellus II Pope
9 April – 1 May 1555
23 days
Elected after the death of Julius III
Died of a stroke
Cem Sultan of the Ottoman Empire
28 May – 20 June 1481
23 days(disputed)
Proclaimed himself Sultan in Anatolia after the death of his father, Mehmed II
Fled to Mamluk Egypt after being defeated by his brother, Bayezid II
Diadumenian Roman Emperor
May – June 218
23 days
Death of his father Macrinus
Killed by Elagabalus
Damasus II Pope
17 July – 9 August 1048
24 days
Installed by Henry III of Germany after deposing Benedict IX
Died of malaria or poison
Rǫgnvaldr Óláfsson King of Mann and the Isles
6–30 May 1249
24 days
Death of his brother Haraldr Óláfsson in a shipwreck
Assassinated by his cousin and successor, Haraldr Guðrøðarson
Constantine I Emperor of Russia
1–25 December 1825
24 days (disputed)
Proclaimed after the death of his brother, Alexander I
Refused to assume the throne because he had secretly renounced all rights in 1823 in order to marry Joanna Grudzińska . His younger brother became Nicholas I .
Zhao Fu Emperor of Song
26 March 1129 – 20 April 1129
25 days (disputed)
Ascended the throne after his father, Emperor Gaozong , was forced to abdicate amidst a mutiny
Forced to abdicate in favour of his father. He is not considered a legitimate emperor by most historians.
Milan Obrenović II Prince of Serbia
25 June – 8 July 1839
26 days
Abdication of his father, Miloš Obrenović I
Died of tuberculosis
Quintillus Roman Emperor
270
≈27 days[ 35] [ 36]
Death of his brother, Claudius Gothicus
Assassinated or committed suicide
Nepotianus Roman Emperor
3–30 June 350
27 days
Proclaimed emperor in Rome
Assassinated by Magnentius
Pius III Pope
22 September – 18 October 1503
27 days
Elected after the death of Alexander VI
Died of sepsis in a leg wound
Leo XI Pope
1–27 April 1605
27 days
Elected after the death of Clement VIII
Died
Liu He Emperor of Han
74 BC
27 days
Installed by regent Huo Guang
Deposed by Huo Guang
Taichang Emperor of Great Ming
28 August – 26 September 1620
29 days
Death of his father, the Wanli Emperor .
Died of disease
Alexios V Emperor of Trebizond
April 1460
<1 month
Death of his father, John IV of Trebizond
Deposed by his uncle David
Ptolemy XI Pharaoh of Egypt
80 BC
<1 month
Installed as husband and co-ruler of Berenice III
Murdered Berenice and was killed by a mob
Praudha Raya King of Sangama dynasty
1485
<1 month
Deposed
Deposed by Saluva Narasimha Deva Raya
Other monarchs who reigned for less than three months
Portrait
Monarch
Reign
Length
Reason for accession
Reason for reign's end
Shallum King of Israel
752–745 BC
1 month
Assassinated King Zechariah
Assassinated and replaced by Menahem
Napoleon I King of Spain
6 May – 6 June 1808
31 days (1 month)
Forced abdications of Charles IV and Ferdinand VII in Bayonne , and their subsequent imprisonment in France
Designated his brother Joseph Bonaparte as King of Spain. Usually not counted as a King of Spain unlike his brother
Antipope Victor IV Pope
March–May 1138
≈1 month
Proclaimed after the death of Antipope Anacletus II
Through the influence of Bernard of Clairvaux , he was induced to make his submission to Pope Innocent II . Innocent initially restored him as cardinal of SS. Apostoli , but in the Second Lateran Council of April 1139, all former adherents of Anacletus II were condemned and deposed. He then retired to the priorate of S. Eusebio in Fontanella.
Reccared II King of the Visigoths
February–March 612
≈1 month
Death of his father, Sisebut
Died
Charles II Duke of Parma (second reign)
April – 17 May 1849
≈1 month
Restored by Austrian troops after fleeing during the Revolutions of 1848
Abdicated in favour of his son, Charles III
Benedict V Pope
22 May – 23 June 964
32 days (1 month, 1 day)
Elected after the death of John XII
Deposed by Emperor Otto I
Nabu-suma-ukin II King of Babylon
732 BC
1 month, 2 days
Deposed Nabu-nadin-zeri
Deposed by Nabu-mukin-zeri
John Paul I Pope
26 August – 28 September 1978
33 days (1 month, 2 days)
Elected after the death of Paul VI
Died of a heart attack
António King of Portugal
23 July – 25 August 1580
33 days (1 month, 2 days)(disputed)
Proclaimed after the death of his uncle Henry due to popular support
Forced to abdicate after being defeated by his cousin Philip I . Reigned in the Azores until 1583
Zhongzong Emperor of Tang (first reign)
23 January – 26 February 684
34 days (1 month, 3 days)
Death of his father, Emperor Gaozong
Deposed by his mother, Empress Dowager Wu
Umberto II King of Italy
9 May – 12 June 1946
34 days (1 month, 3 days)
Abdication of his father, Victor Emmanuel III
Monarchy abolished after republican victory in the 1946 Italian institutional referendum
Adrian V Pope
11 July – 18 August 1276
38 days (1 month, 7 days)
Elected following the death of Innocent V
Died
Salomon III Emperor of Ethiopia (Second reign)
16 June – 25 July 1799
39 days
Restored by Ras Mare'ed and Ras Guebre while Tekle Giyorgis I was campaigning in Begemder
Deposed by Dejazmach Gugsa and Dejazmach Alula , who were part of the army that defeated Salomon's supporters
Li Zicheng Emperor of Great Shun
25 April – 4 June 1644
40 days (1 month, 10 days)
Proclaimed himself Emperor after his capture of Beijing and the suicide of the Chongzhen Emperor
Abandoned Beijing after his defeat by the Manchus at the Battle of Shanhai Pass . He was killed under unclear circumstances around 1645, likely in battle.
Sweyn Forkbeard King of England
25 December 1013 – 3 February 1014
40 days (1 month, 9 days)
Declared king after conquering London
Died
Tirigan King of Sumer
c. 2050 BC
40 days
Succeeded Si'um
Sumer annexed by Utu-hengal of Uruk
Umor Khan of Bulgaria
766
40 days
Likely elected after the deposition and flight of Sabin
Unknown. Could have died or been deposed by Toktu
Antipater Etesias King of Macedon
279 BC
45 days
Became king after the abdication of Meleager
Deposed by Sosthenes
Ala ud-din Sikandar Shah Tughlaq dynasty
22 January − 8 March 1394
45 days (1 month and 14 days)
Succeeded Muhammad Shah III
Died of natural causes
Xerxes II Shah of Persia and Pharaoh of Egypt
424 BC
45 days (1 month, 15 days)
Death of his father, Artaxerxes I
Assassinated by Sogdianus , his illegitimate half-brother and successor
Ying Ziying King of Qin
October–December 207 BC
46 days
Enthroned by Zhao Gao after the assassination of Qin Er Shi
Assassinated by Xiang Yu
Abd al-Rahman V Caliph of Cordoba
2 December 1023 – 17 January 1024
46 days (1 month, 15 days)
Overthrew Al-Qasim al-Ma'mun
Assassinated by Muhammad III
Ferdinand VII King of Spain(first reign)
19 March – 6 May 1808
48 days (1 month, 17 days)
Abdication of his father, Charles IV , as a result of the Mutiny of Aranjuez
Forced to abdicate on his father by Napoleon I, who unbeknownst to Ferdinand, had been forced to abdicate his rights on Napoleon himself on the same day. The abdications were declared null by the Council of Castile on 11 August, recognizing him as king despite being imprisoned by the French at Château de Valençay . Napoleon recognized him on 11 December 1813, by the Treaty of Valençay , and he remained on the throne until his death in 1833.
Sylvester III Pope
20 January – 10 March 1045
49 days (1 month, 19 days)
Elected after a revolt expelled Benedict IX from Rome
Deposed by Benedict IX
Saw E King of Martaban
April–June 1330
49 days
Assassination of Zein Pun by former queen consort Sanda Min Hla
Assassinated by Sanda Min Hla
Magnus the Strong King of Denmark
15 April – 4 June 1134
50 days (1 month, 19 days)
Appointed as co-king of Denmark with his father king Niels as senior king. Crowned as king of Denmark by Emperor Lothair III 15 April 1134
Killed at the Battle of Fotevik
Benedict IX Pope(second reign)
10 March – 1 May 1045
52 days (1 month, 22 days)
Recaptured Rome and expelled Sylvester III
Abdicated on his godfather , Gregory VI , in order to marry his cousin
Ningzong Khagan and Emperor of Great Yuan
23 October – 14 December 1332
52 days (1 month, 22 days)
Elected after the death of his uncle Emperor Wenzong
Died
Pedro IV King of Portugal
10 March – 2 May 1826
53 days (1 month, 23 days)
Death of his father, John VI
Abdicated in favour of his daughter, Maria II , and returned to Brazil where he reigned as Pedro I until 1831.
Charles II King of Hungary and Croatia
31 December 1385 – 24 February 1386
55 days (1 month, 24 days)
Deposed Queen Mary
Assassinated by Mary's mother, Elizabeth of Bosnia
Gregory VIII Pope
21 October – 17 December 1187
57 days (1 month, 25 days)
Elected following the death of Urban III
Died
Feodor II Tsar of Russia
23 April – 20 June 1605
58 days (1 month, 28 days)
Death of his father, Boris I
Assassinated by boyars supporting False Dmitry I
Khusrau Khan Sultan of Delhi
10 July – 5 September 1320
58 days
Assassination of his homosexual partner and emperor Mubarak Shah
Assassinated by Ghiyath al-Din Tughluq who founded the Tughlaq dynasty
Al-Mansur Abu Bakr Sultan of Egypt and Syria
7 June – 5 August 1341
59 days (1 month, 29 days)
Death of his father, An-Nasir Muhammad
Deposed and executed
Joachim Ernest Duke of Anhalt
13 September – 12 November 1918
60 days (1 month, 30 days)
Death of his father, Edward
Monarchy abolished
Diadumenian Roman co-emperor
after 16 May 218 – after 8 June 218
1–2 months
Made co-emperor by his father, Macrinus
Assassinated after the deposition of Macrinus; he was also declared Enemy of Rome and subjected to Damnatio memoriae .
Herennius Etruscus Roman co-emperor
May–June 251
1–2 months
Made co-emperor by his father, Decius
Killed at the Battle of Abritus
Edgar II King of the English
after 14 October 1066 – early December 1066
1–2 months
Elected by the Witenagemot after Harold II 's death
Submitted to William the Conqueror
Ragibagh Khan Khagan and Emperor of Great Yuan
October – 14 November 1328
1–2 months
Installed following the death of his father, Yesün Temür
Died after a civil war broke out, probably murdered by a rival claimant
Labashi-Marduk King of Babylon
556 BC
1-3 months
Succeeded his father, Neriglissar
Assassinated by Belshazzar
David Tiberius Eastern Roman emperor
September – 5 November 641
<2 month
Made co-emperor of his brother Heraclonas by their mother, Empress Martina .
Deposed by supporters of Constans II
Yuan Zhao Emperor of Wei
2 April – May 528
<2 months
Proclaimed by Empress Dowager Hu
Deposed and executed along with Hu. Traditional historians treat him ambiguously, and subsequent Northern Wei emperors never explicitly declared whether he was an emperor or not. He was not given an imperial posthumous name or temple name, but neither was his imperial status declared null.
Leo V Pope
Late July – mid-September 903
<2 months
Elected after the death of Benedict IV
Deposed and imprisoned by Christopher , dying in February 904 under unclear circumstances. The Catholic Church considers Christopher an antipope and stretches Leo V's pontificate to the accession of Sergius III in January 904.
Amyntas II King of Macedon
394/393 BC
<2 months
Death of his relative Aeropus II
Assassinated and succeeded by Aeropus II's son Pausanias
John IV Prince of Moldavia
November–December 1577
<2 months
Deposed Peter IV
Deposed and executed after an Ottoman-Polish-Wallachian invasion restored Peter IV
Salim II Sultan of Ndzuwani
February – 2 April 1891[ 37]
<2 months
Succeeded his father Abdallah III
Unknown
Peter VII Prince of Moldavia
August – September/October 1592
<2–3 months
Deposed Alexander V
Deposed and mutilated by Aaron I , who then handed him to the Ottomans to be executed
Ciubăr Vodă Prince of Moldavia
c. December 1448 – January 1449
2 months(disputed)
A Croatian-Hungarian aristocrat sent by John Hunyadi to depose Roman II in favor of Peter III , but said to have reigned himself as Prince after Peter III fled
Unknown. Alexander II became Prince in February 1449. Some historians believe he merely occupied the country on Hunyadi's behalf and did not actually claim the throne.
Mamia I King of Imereti (third reign)
November 1713 – 5 January 1714
2 months
Recovered the throne after defeating George VII at the Battle of Kutaisi
Died
Meleager King of Macedon
279 BC
2 months
Death of his brother Ptolemy Keraunos
Forced to abdicate by his troops
Trịnh Cán Lord of Tonkin
September–October 1782
≈2 months
Death of his father, Trịnh Sâm
Forced to abdicate on Trịnh Khải
Gyanendra King of Nepal (first reign)
7 November 1950 – 7 January 1951
61 days (2 months)
Proclaimed when he was 4 years old by Prime Minister Mohan Shumsher Jang Bahadur Rana , in defiance of Gyanendra's grandfather Tribhuvan , who wanted to end the Rana family 's hereditary occupation of the government. Afterward, Tribhuvan and most Nepalese royals, including Gyanendra, departed for India.
Tribhuvan returned and resumed rule after the Ranas agreed to his terms. Gyanendra would become the last king of Nepal five decades later, after the Nepalese royal massacre .
Ibrahim ibn al-Walid Caliph of Islam
4 October – 4 December 744
61 days (2 months)
Death of his brother, Yazid III
Abdicated in favour of Marwan II , who murdered him in 750
Radu IX Prince of Wallachia (second reign)
April – May 1611
2 months
Restored by Ottoman troops
Deposed by Radu X
Innocent IX Pope
29 October – 30 December 1591
62 days (2 months, 1 days)
Elected after the death of Gregory XIV
Died
Didius Julianus Roman Emperor
28 March – 1 June 193
65 days (2 months, 4 days)
Bought the throne in auction after the assassination of Pertinax
Deposed and executed. Also subjected to Damnatio memoriae
Frederick Charles King of Finland and Karelia
9 October – 14 December 1918
66 days (2 months, 5 days)
Elected by the Parliament of Finland
Renounced the throne without entering the country, which later became a republic
Staurakios Eastern Roman Emperor
26 July – 2 October 811
68 days (2 months, 6 days)
Death of his father, Nikephoros I Logothetes
Forced to abdicate by Michael I Rangabe
Frederick Christian Elector of Saxony
5 October – 17 December 1763
74 days (2 months, 12 days)
Death of his father, Frederick Augustus II
Died
Muhammad II Caliph of Cordoba(second reign)
10 May – 23 July 1010
74 days (2 months, 13 days)
Deposed Sulayman ibn al-Hakam
Assassinated and replaced by Hisham II
Petronius Maximus Western Roman Emperor
17 March – 31 May 455
75 days (2 months, 14 days)
Elected by the Roman Senate after assassinating Valentinian III
Murdered by a mob while trying to flee Rome from the impending Vandal attack
Alexios V Eastern Roman Emperor
27 January – 12 April 1204
76 days (2 months, 16 days)
Deposed co-emperors Isaac II and Alexios IV
Fled Constantinople during the Latin Sack of 1204 . Later captured by Crusaders and executed
Edward V King of England
9 April – 25 June 1483
77 days (2 months, 16 days)
Death of his father, Edward IV
Deposed and imprisoned by his uncle Richard III , who claimed he was illegitimate. He is presumed murdered in captivity.
Chūkyō Emperor of Japan
13 May – 29 July 1221
78 days (2 months, 17 days)
Enthroned following the deposition of his father, Emperor Juntoku , in preparation for the Jōkyū War
Due to the Jōkyū War , the imperial court army was defeated by the Kamakura Shogunate army and he was deposed. Not officially recognized as Emperor until 1870 because of doubts raised by his short reign
Tupac Huallpa Sapa Inca
Began c. 26 July 1533, ended 12–27 October 1533
c. 78–93 days
Installed as puppet Inca by the Spanish after the assassination of Atahualpa
Died of disease or poison[ 38]
Stephen II Despot of Serbia
1 April – 20 June 1459
80 days (2 months, 19 days)
Married a daughter of the late Despot Lazar Branković
Serbia annexed by the Ottoman Empire . Later became King of Bosnia for two years
Cuitláhuac Great Speaker of the Triple Alliance
c. 29 June – September 1520
80 days (2 months, 19 days)
Elected soon before or after leading a revolt against the Spanish who were holding his brother Moctezuma II hostage in Tenochtitlan
Died of smallpox
Hongxian Emperor of China
1 January – 22 March 1916
81 days (2 months, 21 days)
Offered the throne after unanimous vote by the Representative Assembly
Empire abolished after the monarchical restoration proved unexpectedly unpopular. Continued as President of the Republic of China until his death on 6 June
Amanullah Khan King of Afghanistan (second reign)
March – 23 May 1929
83 days
Returned to contest the throne during the Afghan Civil War (1928–1929) , in opposition to Habibullah Kalakani
Fled to British India
Pertinax Roman Emperor
1 January – 28 March 193
86 days (2 months, 27 days)
Proclaimed after the assassination of Commodus
Assassinated by his Praetorian Guards , who then auctioned off the throne to the highest bidder .
Berengaria Queen of Castile
6 June – 31 August 1217
86 days (2 months, 25 days)
Death of her brother, Henry I
Abdicated in favour of her son, Ferdinand III
Christian Frederick King of Norway
17 May – 14 August 1814
89 days (2 months, 28 days)
Elected by the Norwegian Constituent Assembly
Abdicated by the Convention of Moss and returned to Denmark, where he became king (as Christian VIII) in 1839. The Crown of Norway was assumed by his rival, Charles XIII of Sweden .
Shajar al-Durr Sultan of Egypt [ a]
2 May – 30 July 1250
89 days (2 months 28 days)
Placed on the throne by the Mamluks after the assassination of Turanshah , the last member of the direct male line of the Ayyubid dynasty . Shajar al-Durr was previously the wife of the penultimate sultan As-Salih Ayyub (who died in 1249) and was chosen to provide the Mamluks with a link to the legitimate Ayyubid dynasty.
Abdicated in favour of Aybak , her second husband
Philip I King of Castile
27 June – 25 September 1506
90 days (2 months, 29 days)
Recognized as regnant king with equal authority to his wife, Queen Joanna , by the Treaty of Villafáfila
Died of typhoid or poison
Gebre Krestos Emperor of Ethiopia
24 March – 8 June 1832
2–3 months (except for a short time during the first reign of Sahle Dengel )
Proclaimed emperor by Ras Ali II of Yejju
Died, possibly poisoned[ 40]
Florianus Roman Emperor
July–September 276
<3 months
Proclaimed after the death of his half-brother, Tacitus
Assassinated by his own troops while campaigning against the rebel Probus
Sinmu King of Silla
839
<3 months[ b]
Assassinated Minae of Silla
Died from disease
Alexander III Prince of Moldavia
December 1540 – February 1541
<3 months
Assassination of Stephen V
Deposed and later assassinated by Peter IV
Alexander V Prince of Moldavia
June–August 1592
<3 months
Aaron I deposed by the Ottoman Empire
Deposed by Peter VII . In November he became the equally brief Prince of Wallachia , as Alexander III.
Alexander II Prince of Moldavia(third reign)
February – March or May 1455
2–4 months
Deposed Peter Aaron
Deposed by Peter Aaron and forced into exile, where he died on 25 May 1455
Shihabuddin Omar Emperor of Khalji dynasty
5 January – April 1316
~3 months
Deposed
Deposed by his elder brother Qutbuddin Mubarak Shah , later died in exile
Tekle Giyorgis I Emperor of Ethiopia (Sixth reign)
24 March – June 1800
~3 months
Placed on the throne multiple times during the Zemene Mesafint .
Other monarchs who reigned for less than six months
Portrait
Monarch
Reign
Length
Reason for accession
Reason for reign's end
Shirikti-shuqamuna King of Babylon
c. 981 BC
3 months
Succeeded his brother, Ninurta-kudurri-usur I
Succeeded by Mar-biti-apla-usur
Sîn-šumu-līšir King of Assyria and Babylon
626 BC
3 months
Rebelled against Sinsharishkun of Assyria
Defeated by Sinsharishkun
Jehoahaz King of Judah
609 BC
3 months
Josiah killed at the Battle of Megiddo
Deposed and imprisoned by Necho II
Shamash-eriba King of Babylon
484 BC
3 months
Proclaimed king in Sippar , in rebellion against the Achaemenid Empire
Defeated by Xerxes I
Vikramabahu II King of Polonnaruwa
1196
3 months
Assassination of his nephew Vira Bahu I
Assassinated by his nephew Chodaganga I
Min Hla King of Ava
August–November 1425
3 months
Assassination of his father, Thihathu of Ava
Assassinated by his stepmother, Shin Bo-Me
George VIII King of Imereti
1716
3 months
Deposed George VII with Ottoman support
Fled back to Guria
Ea-mukin-zeri King of Babylon
c. 1004 BC
3-5 months
Succeeded Simbar-shipak
Succeeded by Kashshu-nadin-ahi
Otho Roman Emperor
15 January – 16 April 69
91 days (3 months, 1 day)
Proclaimed after the assassination of Galba
Committed suicide after the Battle of Bedriacum
Murad V Ottoman Sultan and Caliph
30 May – 31 August 1876
93 days (3 months, 1 day)
Deposition of his uncle, Abdulaziz
Deposed during the Great Eastern Crisis
Nebuchadnezzar IV King of Babylon
25 August – 27 November 521 BC
94 days (3 months, 2 days)
Rebelled against the Achaemenid Empire
Captured and executed by Darius the Great
Napoleon I Emperor of the French (second reign)
20 March – 22 June 1815
94 days (3 months, 2 days)
Returned to Paris
Abdicated in favour of Napoleon II
Sunjong King of Goryeo
2 September – 5 December 1083
95 days (3 months, 3 days)
Death of his father
Died
Maria I Queen of Brazil
16 December 1815 – 20 March 1816
95 days (3 months, 4 days)
Brazil raised to a kingdom
Died
Mustafa I Sultan of the Ottoman Empire
22 November 1617 – 26 February 1618
96 days (3 months, 4 days)
Death of his brother, Ahmed I
Deposed in favor of his nephew, Osman II . He reigned again for fifteen months after the assassination of Osman II in 1622, before he was deposed again.
Louis VII Landgrave of Hesse-Darmstadt
25 April – 31 August 1678
96 days (3 months, 6 days)
Death of his father, Louis VI
Died of an infection
Dulce Queen of León
23 September – 30 December 1230
97 days (3 months, 7 days)
Proclaimed as co-monarchs following the death of their father Alfonso IX
Renounced their rights to the throne following the Treaty of Benavente , accepting their brother Ferdinand III as sole monarch
Sancha Queen of León
Jeconiah King of Judah
9 December 598 BC – 15/16 March 597 BC
97 days (3 months, 7 days)
Death of his father Jehoiakim at the Siege of Jerusalem
Deposed and exiled to Babylon
Frederick III German Emperor and King of Prussia
9 March – 15 June 1888
98 days (3 months, 6 days)
Death of his father, Wilhelm I
Died of laryngeal cancer
Pupienus Roman Emperor
April–July 238
99 days
Co-emperors proclaimed by the Roman Senate in rebellion against Maximinus Thrax after the deaths of Gordian I and Gordian II , in the Year of the Six Emperors
Assassinated by the Praetorian Guard . They were succeeded by Gordian III , grandson of Gordian I.
Charles II Duke of Parma (first reign)
31 December 1847 – 19 April 1848
110 days (3 months, 19 days)
Proclaimed after the death of Marie Louise of Parma
Fled the country and abdicated in favour of his son, Charles III
Ibrahim Pasha Wali of Egypt
20 July – 10 November 1848
113 days (3 months, 21 days)
Succeeded his father Muhammad Ali after he was deemed incapable due to senility
Died of exhaustion after travelling to Constantinople to be confirmed in office
Mindaugas II King of Lithuania
11 July – 2 November 1918
114 days (3 months, 22 days)
Accepted the throne after election by the Council of Lithuania
Monarchy "suspended" by the council. Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic declared a month later
Olybrius Western Roman Emperor
11 July 472 – 2 November 472
114 days (3 months, 22 days)
Installed by Ricimer after the assassination of Anthemius
Died of dropsy
Sima Lun Emperor of Jin
3 February – 31 May 301
117 days (3 months, 28 days)(disputed)
Deposed his great-nephew Emperor Hui
Forced to return the throne to Emperor Hui, and committed suicide shortly afterwards. Many historians do not consider him a legitimate emperor.
Nebuchadnezzar III King of Babylon
September/October – 18-22 December 522 BC
3-4 months
Rebelled against the Achaemenid Empire
Captured and executed by Darius the Great
Aemilianus Roman Emperor
June–September 253
3–4 months
Proclaimed in rebellion against Trebonianus Gallus and Volusianus
Assassinated by his own troops
Ansprand King of the Lombards
March–June 712
3–4 months
Deposed Aripert II
Died
Solamish Sultan of Egypt and Syria
August–November 1279
<4 months
Placed on the throne after his older brother Barakah was deposed by powerful emirs
Deposed by his regent Qalawun , who took over as sultan
Radu X Prince of Wallachia (second reign)
June – September 1611
~4 months
Deposed Radu IX
Deposed by Radu IX
Sriranga II King of Vijayanagara
1614
~4 months
Succeeded Venkatapati Raya
Assassinated by Gobburi Jagga Raya
Renseneb Pharaoh of Egypt
1777 BC
4 months
Succeeded Khaankhre Sobekhotep
Unknown. Could have been deposed by Hor
Philip IV King of Macedon
May – September 297 BC
4 months
Death of his father, Cassander
Died of disease
Sivali Queen of Anuradhapura
35
4 months
Death of her brother Chulabhaya
Deposed by her cousin Ilanaga
Christopher Pope
October 903 – January 904
4 months(disputed)
Deposed and imprisoned Leo V
Deposed by Sergius III . Though counted as legitimate for most of history, he was removed from the Annuario Pontificio in the mid-20th century and is considered an antipope by the modern Catholic Church.
Susenyos II Emperor of Ethiopia
August – 15 December 1770
4 months
Elected by a principal council in Gondar after Tekle Haymanot II and Ras Mikael Sehul left for Tigray
Fled after Ras Mikael Sehul returned to Gondar and restored Tekle Haymanot II
Stephen VIII Prince of Moldavia
24 April – August 1595
4–5 months
Deposed Aaron I
Deposed by Jeremy I , with Polish support. Stephen tried to recover the throne in December, but he was defeated at the Battle of Suceava , captured, and impaled .
Michael I Prince of Moldavia
May–September 1600
4–5 months
Invaded Moldavia and deposed Jeremy I, who fled to Poland
Returned to Wallachia after defeat in the Battle of Mirăslău . Jeremy I was restored.
Andreyas Emperor of Ethiopia
1429 – March 1430
4–6 months
Succeeded his father Yeshaq I
Died at a young age
Wazir Ali Khan Nawab of Awadh
21 September 1797 – 21 January 1798
122 days (4 months)
Death of his uncle and adoptive father, Asaf-ud-Daula
Deposed by the East India Company
Hiệp Hòa Emperor of Đại Nam
30 July – 29 November 1883
122 days (3 months, 30 days)
Deposition of his nephew, Dục Đức
Deposed and forced to commit suicide
Nepherites II Pharaoh of Egypt
mid-late 380 BC
4 months
Death of his father, Hakor
Deposed and likely killed by Nectanebo I
Sarwe Iyasus Emperor of Ethiopia
1433
4–8 months
Succeeded his father Takla Maryam
Died of Bubonic Plague
Khande Rao Holkar II Maharaja of Indore
13 November 1843 – 17 March 1844
125 days (4 months, 4 days)
Death of his cousin and adoptive father, Hari Rao Holkar
Died suddenly
Abd al-Malik Imad ad-Dawla King of Zaragoza
24 January – 31 May 1110
127 days (4 months, 7 days)
Death of his father, Al-Musta'in II , at the Battle of Valtierra
Deposed by the Almoravids . Fled to Rueda de Jalón , where he ruled as a vassal of Alfonso I of Aragon until his death in 1130
Faisal I King of Syria
8 March – 14 July 1920
128 days (4 months, 6 days)
Crowned by the Syrian Congress
Surrendered to a French ultimatum and was expelled to Mandatory Iraq , where he was made King in 1921 and reigned until his death in 1933. The Arab Kingdom of Syria was abolished on July 25, 1920, and replaced with the French Mandate for Syria and the Lebanon .
Michael V Eastern Roman Emperor
13 December 1041 – 21 April 1042
129 days (4 months, 8 days)
Death of his adoptive father, Michael IV
Deposed by Zoë and Theodora III
Wenzong Khagan and Emperor of Great Yuan (first reign)
16 October 1328 – 26 February 1329
133 days (4 months, 10 days)
Installed following the death of Yesün Temür Khan
Abdicated in favour of his brother Emperor Mingzong
Charles IV King of Naples
22 February – 7 July 1495
135 days (4 months, 14 days)
Crowned after conquering the city of Naples
Left Italy after defeat in the First Italian War
Liu Bian Emperor of Han
15 May – 28 September 189
136 days (4 months, 13 days)
Death of his father, Emperor Ling
Deposed and replaced by his younger half-brother, Emperor Xian
Alexander Hangerli Prince of Moldavia
7 March – 24 July 1807
139 days (4 months, 17 days)
Appointed by Selim III
Deposed and replaced by Scarlat Callimachi
Yonas Emperor of Ethiopia
18 August 1797 – 4 January 1798
140 days (4 months, 18 days)
Proclaimed Emperor by Ras Isra'el of Begemder
Deposed by Gugsa of Yejju
Hisamuddin of Selangor King of Malaysia
14 April – 1 September 1960
140 days (4 months, 18 days)
Elected after the death of Abdul Rahman of Negeri Sembilan
Died of illness
Ntare V King of Burundi
8 July – 28 November 1966
143 days (4 months, 20 days)
Deposed his father, Mwambutsa IV
Deposed by Prime Minister Michel Micombero , who became the dictatorial first president of Burundi
Edward Duke of Anhalt
21 April – 13 September 1918
145 days (4 months, 23 days)
Death of his brother, Frederick II
Died
Chong Emperor of Han
20 September 144 – 15 February 145
148 days (4 months, 26 days)
Death of his father, Emperor Shun
Died
John V Eastern Roman Emperor(third reign)
17 September 1390 – 16 February 1391
152 days (4 months, 30 days)
Recovered the throne from his grandson, John VII , who had deposed him months before
Died
Hostilian Roman co-emperor
July–November 251
<5 months
Made co-emperor by Trebonianus Gallus after the death of Hostilian's father and brother at the Battle of Abritus
Died from plague or poison
Peter Aaron Prince of Moldavia(first reign)
October 1451 – February 1452
<5 months
Assassinated Bogdan II
Deposed by Alexander II
İsa Sultan of the Ottoman Empire
January–May 1403
3–5 months(disputed)
Defeated by his brother Mehmed I at the Battle of Ulubad
Strangled in September 1403
Valagamba King of Anuradhapura (first reign)
103 BC
5 months
Ascended the throne following the assassination of his brother Khallata Naga
Deposed by Pulahatta . He regained the throne in 88 BC.
Eraric King of the Ostrogoths
541
5 months
Elected after the murder of Ildibad
Assassinated by Totila 's followers
Ælfwynn Lady of Mercia
12 June – December 918
5 months
Death of her mother, Æthelflæd
Abdicated in favour of her uncle Edward I
Abd al-Rahman IV Caliph of Cordoba
29 April – September 1018
Around 5 months
Proclaimed Caliph after Ali ibn Hammud al-Nasir 's assassination
Assassinated. Title disputed with Al-Qasim al-Ma'mun
Radu IX Prince of Wallachia (first reign)
November 1601 – March 1602
5 months
Deposed Simon I
Deposed by Simon I
Innocent V Pope
21 January – 22 June 1276
153 days (5 months, 1 day)
Elected following the death of Gregory X
Died
John VII Eastern Roman Emperor
14 April – 17 September 1390
156 days (5 months, 3 days)
Deposed his grandfather, John V
Restoration of John V
Sonni Baru King of Songhai
6 November 1492 – 12 April 1493
158 days
Succeeded his father Sonni Ali
Fled after being defeated at the Battle of Anfao
Celestine V Pope
5 July – 13 December 1294
161 days (5 months, 8 days)
Elected following an interregnum
Resigned
Roman II Prince of Moldavia
15 September 1447 – 23 February 1448
161 days (5 months, 8 days)
Assassinated his uncle, Stephen II , who had previously deposed and blinded Roman's father, Iliaş . He was co-prince with his other uncle Peter III .
Fled to Poland where he died in July 1448. Thereafter Peter III ruled in solitary.
Yohannes II Emperor of Ethiopia
7 May – 18 October 1769
165 days (5 months, 12 days)
Summoned by Ras Mikael Sehul after the murder of his great-nephew Iyoas I
Poisoned on the orders of Ras Mikael Sehul[ 41]
Lê Túc Tông Emperor of Đại Việt
17 July – 30 December 1504
166 days (5 months, 13 days)
Death of his father, Lê Hiến Tông
Died of illness
Al-Mustansir Caliph of Cairo
13 June – 28 November 1261
168 days (5 months, 15 days)
Proclaimed Caliph in Egypt after the Mongols sacked Baghdad and killed his nephew, Caliph Al-Musta'sim , in 1258
Killed in an ambush near Hit while trying to reconquer Iraq
Abu Bakr Shah Tughlaq dynasty
15 March 1389 – 30 August 1390
168 days (5 months, 15 days)
Succeeded Tughluq Khan
Deposed and imprisoned by Muhammad Shah III
Tughluq Khan Tughlaq dynasty
20 September 1388 – 14 March 1389
168 days (5 months, 18 days)
Succeeded Firoz Shah Tughlaq
Assassinanted shortly after his victory against Muhammad Shah III
Álvaro V Manikongo
27 February – 14 August 1636
170 days (5 months, 20 days)
Poisoned Álvaro IV
Poisoned
Yazid III Caliph of Islam
17 April – 3/4 October 744
171–172 days (5 months, 17–18 days)
Likely assassinated his cousin, Al-Walid II
Died of a brain tumor
Charles I King of Norway
20 November 1449 – 13 May 1450
174 days (5 months, 22 days)
Elected in Trondheim by a portion of the Norwegian Council, in defiance of Christian I of Denmark who had been elected by the other part
Renounced his claim to Norway and recognized Christian I. He continued ruling as King of Sweden until he was also replaced there in 1457 by Christian I, and took exile in Poland.
Charles VIII King of Sweden (second reign)
9 August 1464 – 30 January 1465
174 days (5 months, 21 days)
Returned from exile during a rebellion against Christian I
Exiled again after defeat by Christian I's regent in Sweden, Archbishop Jöns Bengtsson Oxenstierna . He recovered the throne for a third time in 1467 and reigned until his death in 1470.
Gong Emperor of Sui
18 December 617 – 12 June 618
176 days (5 months, 25 days)
Installed as a puppet emperor by Li Yuan
Deposed by Li Yuan, who established the Tang dynasty and later had Emperor Gong murdered
Al-Muntasir Caliph of Islam
11 December 861 – 7 June 862
178 days (5 months, 24 days)
Assassination of his father, Al-Mutawakkil
Died of disease
Isaac II Eastern Roman Emperor(second reign)
1 August 1203–27/28 January 1204
179 days (5 months, 26–27 days)
Restored to the throne after the flight of his brother Alexios III , who had imprisoned and blinded him in 1195
Deposed by Alexios V . Isaac II died soon afterwards under unclear, but possibly natural circumstances. Alexios IV was strangled on February 8.
Alexios IV Eastern Roman Emperor
Proclaimed co-emperor with his father because of his deteriorated mental and physical state; he ruled alone in practice.
Heraclonas Eastern Roman Emperor
May – October/November 641
<6 months
Death of his father, Heraclius I
Deposed, mutilated , and exiled to Rhodes by Constans II
Other monarchs who reigned for a year or less
Portrait
Monarch
Reign
Length
Reason for accession
Reason for reign's end
Marduk-ahhe-eriba King of Babylon
c. 1042 BC
6 months
Succeeded Adad-apla-iddina
Succeeded by Marduk-zer-X
Zechariah King of Israel
753–752 or 746–745 BC
6 months
Death of his father, Jeroboam II
Assassinated by his captain Shallum , who succeeded him.
Mark King of Makuria
c. 747
6 months
Crowned by the former king Zachary I after the deposition and exile of Abraham
Assassinated by Abraham's supporters
Kamarnava II Eastern Ganga dynasty
1015
6 months
Succeeded Vajrahasta IV
fate unknown, succeeded by Gundama II
Amda Seyon II Emperor of Ethiopia
1494
6 months
Succeeded his father Eskender
Died at the age of 7, succeeded by his uncle Na'od
Shivaji IV Kolhapur State
2 July 1821 – 3 January 1822
6 months
Succeeded Sambhaji III
Succeeded by Shahaji
Vallabharaja King of Gurjara
c. 1008
6 months
Crowned after his father Chamundaraja retired
Died of smallpox while on campaign
Stephen VII Prince of Moldavia
8 August 1563 – January 1564
6 months
Deposed and assassinated John II
Fled to Poland after the Ottomans refused to recognize him and restored Alexander IV , the prince before John II
Wu Sangui Emperor of Great Zhou
March–August 1678
6 months
Rebelled against the Qing dynasty and proclaimed himself Emperor in Hengyang
Died
Amha Selassie Emperor of Ethiopia
12 September 1974 – 12 March 1975
181 days (6 months)
Proclaimed by the Derg while he was receiving medical treatment in Switzerland, following the deposition of his father Haile Selassie . He did not accept this proclamation as legitimate and did not return to Ethiopia.
Monarchy abolished
Shunzong Emperor of Tang
28 February – 28 August 805
182 days (6 months)
Death of his father, Emperor Dezong
Abdicated in favour of his son Emperor Xianzong
Hasan ibn Ali Caliph of Islam
661
6–7 months
Elected after the death of his father, Ali
Abdicated in favor of Muawiyah I
Enlil-nadin-shumi King of Babylon
c. 1224 BC
6-18 months
Kashtiliash IV deposed by Tukulti-Ninurta I of Assyria
Succeeded by Kadashman-Harbe II
Mingzong Khagan and Emperor of Great Yuan
27 February – 30 August 1329
183 days (6 months, 3 days)
Abdication of his brother Emperor Wenzong
Died, possibly poisoned. Emperor Wenzong was restored to the throne.
Peter III Emperor of All Russia
5 January – 9 July 1762
185 days (6 months, 4 days)
Death of his aunt, Elizabeth I
Deposed and possibly assassinated by his wife, Catherine II
Kale Kye-Taung Nyo King of Ava
9 November 1425 – 16 May 1426
188 days (6 months, 7 days)
Deposed his nephew, Min Hla
Deposed by Mohnyin Thado
Henry VI King of England (second reign)
3 October 1470 – 11 April 1471
191 days (6 months, 9 days)
Restored after Edward IV 's flight during the 1470 Lincolnshire Rebellion
Deposed by Edward IV after recapturing London and probably assassinated
Dafydd ap Gruffudd Prince of Gwynedd and Wales
11 December 1282 – 22 June 1283
193 days (6 months, 11 days)
Death of his brother, Llywelyn ap Gruffudd , at the Battle of Orewin Bridge
Captured in battle by Edward I of England , who had him hanged, drawn, and quartered on 3 October
William I Prince of Albania
21 February – 3 September 1914
194 days (6 months, 11 days)
Formally offered the throne by Albanian notables after being chosen for the position by the European Great Powers
Fled to Italy amidst unrest related to the outbreak of World War I .
Jamshid bin Abdullah Sultan of Zanzibar
1 July 1963 – 12 January 1964
195 days (6 months, 11 days)
Death of his father, Abdullah bin Khalifa
Monarchy abolished
Sogdianus Shah of Persia and Pharaoh of Egypt
424–423 BC
6 months, 15 days
Proclaimed himself after the death of his father Artaxerxes I , in defiance of the legitimate heir, his half-brother Xerxes II , whom he later had assassinated
Assassinated by his other half-brother, Darius II
Jean Casimir-Perier Co-Prince of Andorra
27 June 1894 – 16 January 1895
203 days (6 months, 20 days)
Became Prince of Andorra as President of France
Resigned
Constantius III Western Roman Emperor
8 February – 2 September 421
206 days (6 months, 23 days)
Made co-emperor by Honorius
Died
Al-Qasim al-Ma'mun Caliph of Cordoba (second reign)
12 February – 9 September 1023
209 days (6 months, 26 days)
Flight of Yahya al-Mu'tali from Cordoba
Deposed and imprisoned
Duncan II King of Scots
May – 12 November 1094
<7 months
Crowned at Scone as a puppet of William the Conqueror , in rebellion against Donald III who retained control of the Scottish Highlands
Killed in battle or assassinated after defeat
Alexander II Prince of Moldavia(first reign)
February – 12 October 1449
<7 months
Deposed Peter III
Deposed by Bogdan II . Recovered the throne in 1452
Peter Aaron Prince of Moldavia(second reign)
August 1454 – February 1455
<7 months
Deposed Alexander II
Deposed by Alexander II
Bardiya Shah of Persia and Pharaoh of Egypt
early 522 BC – September 522 BC
7 months
Rebelled in the Zagros Mountains against Cambyses II , then in Egypt , some time before Cambyses' death
Assassinated by nobles led by Darius I , who claimed he was not the real Bardiya (brother of Cambyses) but a royal impostor
Pilaya Mara King of Anuradhapura
91–90 BC
7 months
Assassinated King Panya Mara
Murdered by his chief minister, Dathika
Lilavati Queen of Polonnaruwa (third reign)
1211–1212
7 months
Restored after deposition of Lokissara
Deposed by Parakrama Pandyan II
Tarabya King of Ava
April 1400 – before 25 November 1400
7 months
Death of his father Swa Saw Ke
Assassinated by his former tutor Thihapate of Tagaung after he became insane
Nedjemibre Pharaoh of Egypt
c. 1780 BC or 1736 BC
>7 months
Succeeded Sewadjkare I
Possibly deposed by Khaankhre Sobekhotep
Lulach King of Scots and Mormaer of Moray
15 August 1057 – 17 March 1058
214 days (7 months, 2 days)
Death of his stepfather Macbeth at the Battle of Lumphanan
Assassinated by Malcolm III
Paul Deschanel Co-Prince of Andorra
18 February 1920 – 21 September 1920
216 days (7 months, 3 days)
Became Prince of Andorra as President of France
Resigned
Shang Emperor of Han
13 February – 21 September 106
220 days (7 months, 8 days)
Death of his father, Emperor He
Died
Galba Roman Emperor
8 June 68 – 15 January 69
221 days (7 months, 7 days)
Proclaimed in rebellion against Nero , who committed suicide
Assassinated by Otho in vengeance for adopting Lucius Calpurnius Piso Licinianus as his heir instead of him
Edmund II King of the English
23 April – 30 November 1016
221 days (7 months, 7 days)
Elected in London by part of the Witenagemot after the death of his father, Æthelred the Unready ; another part elected King Cnut of Denmark in Southampton .
Died, possibly assassinated, after agreeing to divide the kingdom with Cnut. Thereafter Cnut reigned over the whole of England.
Yahya al-Mu'tali Caliph of Cordoba(second reign)
9 November 1025 – 19 June 1026
222 days (7 months, 10 days)
Reconquered Cordoba from Muhammad III
Deposed in absentia by Hisham III . Became king of Malaga where he reigned until 1035
Guttorm King of Norway
2 January – 11 August 1204
222 days (7 months, 9 days)
Death of his uncle, Haakon III
Died of illness
Kōbun Emperor of Japan
9 January – 21 August 672
226 days (7 months, 13 days)
Death of his father, Emperor Tenji
Committed suicide after being deposed by his uncle, Emperor Tenmu . Only counted officially and given a posthumous name after 1870
Louis I King of Spain
15 January – 31 August 1724
229 days (7 months, 16 days)
Abdication of his father, Philip V
Died of smallpox . Philip V regained the throne and reigned until his own death in 1746.
Jovian Roman Emperor
27 June 363 – 17 February 364
232 days (7 months, 19 days)
Elected after the death of Julian in the Battle of Samarra
Died in his sleep, possibly suffocated by a defective brazier
Sulayman ibn al-Hakam Caliph of Cordoba(first reign)
8 November 1009 – 2 June 1010
236 days (7 months, 24 days)
Declared Caliph after taking Cordoba from Muhammad II and freeing, but declining to reinstall former Caliph Hisham II
Deposed by Muhammad II. Recovered the throne in 1013 and reigned for three years
Stephen IX Pope
3 August 1057 – 29 March 1058
238 days (7 months, 26 days)
Elected after the death of Victor II
Died
Kiến Phúc Emperor of Đại Nam
1 December 1883 – 31 July 1884
243 days (7 months, 30 days)
Deposition of his adoptive great uncle, Hiệp Hòa
Died of illness or poison
Theodore I King of Corsica
12 March – 11 November 1736
244 days (7 months, 30 days)
Elected king by Corsican rebels against the Republic of Genoa
Left Corsica in a failed bid to get foreign support
Alfonso III Duke of Modena and Reggio
11 December 1628 – July 1629
<8 months
Death of his father, Cesare
Abdicated in favor of his son to become a monk
Phelles King of Tyre
879 BC
8 months
Assassinated his brother Astarymus
Assassinated by Ithobaal I
Ulpia Severina Roman Empress
270
8 months
Assassination of her husband, Aurelian . Only woman to have ruled the Roman Empire in her own right
Election of Tacitus
Tacitus Roman Emperor
25 September 275 – June 276
8 months
Elected by the Roman Senate after the assassination of Aurelian
Died of fever while returning from a military campaign in Gaul
Manava King of Gauda
625–626
8 months
Death of his father, Shashanka
Kingdom conquered and divided between Harsha and Bhaskaravarman
Abd al-Wahid I Caliph of the Almohad Empire
February–September 1224
8 months
Elected after the death of his grand-nephew, Yusuf II
Assassinated
George I Prince of Moldavia
November 1399 – June 1400
8 months
Succeeded his brother Stephen I while he was ill but still alive
Deposed and imprisoned after invasion by Mircea I of Wallachia , who installed George's exiled half-brother, Alexander I
Amda Iyasus Emperor of Ethiopia
1433–1434
8 months
Succeeded his brother Sarwe Iyasus
Unknown fate
Baeda Maryam II Emperor of Ethiopia
15 April – December 1795
8 months
Made emperor by Dejazmach Wolde Gabriel while Tekle Giyorgis I was absent from Gondar
Deposed by Ras Aligaz and Tekle Giyorgis I restored
Ferdinand IV Grand Duke of Tuscany
21 July 1859 – 22 March 1860
245 days (8 months, 1 day)
Abdication of his father, Leopold II , after their flight in the Second Italian War of Independence
Tuscany annexed by the Kingdom of Italy
Lê Nghi Dân Emperor of Đại Việt
3 October 1459 – 6 June 1460
247 days (8 months, 3 days)
Assassinated his half-brother, Lê Nhân Tông
Deposed in favor of his other half-brother Lê Thánh Tông . He was exiled to Lạng Sơn and died shortly after.
Vitellius Roman Emperor
16 April – 22 December 69
250 days (8 months, 6 days)
Proclaimed in rebellion against Galba
Assassinated
Jianwen Emperor of Jin
6 January – 12 September 372
250 days (8 months, 6 days)
Installed by general Huan Wen
Died of illness
Injong King of Joseon
29 November 1544 – 8 August 1545
252 days (8 months, 9 days)
Death of his father, Jungjong
Possibly poisoned by his step-mother Queen Munjeong so his half-brother Myeongjong would become king
Ramon Riu i Cabanes Co-Prince of Andorra
18 April – 27 December 1901
253 days (8 months, 9 days)
Became Co-Prince of Andorra as Bishop of Urgell
Died
Francis (III) Erdmann Duke of Saxe-Lauenburg
20 November 1665 – 30 July 1666
253 days (8 months, 10 days)
Death of his father Julius (I) Henry
Died
Ninurta-kudurri-usur II King of Babylon
c. 939 BC
8 months, 12 days
Succeeded his father, Nabu-mukin-apli
Succeeded by his brother, Mar-biti-ahhe-iddina
John XXI Pope
8 September 1276 – 20 May 1277
255 days (8 months, 12 days)
Elected following the death of Adrian V
Died after apartment collapsed
Tewodros I Emperor of Ethiopia
12 October 1413 – 23 June 1414
255 days (8 months, 12 days)
Succeeded his father Dawit I
Died in battle against the Adal Sultanate
Muhammad II Caliph of Cordoba(first reign)
15 February – 1 November 1009
259 days (8 months, 17 days)
Overthrew Hisham II and his prime minister Abd al-Rahman Sanchuelo , who tried to make Hisham name him his heir
Deposed by Sulayman ibn al-Hakam
Benedict XI Pope
22 October 1303 – 7 July 1304
259 days (8 months, 16 days)
Elected after the death of Boniface VIII
Died
Berenice III Pharaoh of Egypt(second reign)
5 August 81 BC – 22 April 80 BC
260 days (8 months, 17 days)
Appointed as co-ruler by her father, Ptolemy IX . She had previously been co-ruler with her husband Ptolemy X .
Murdered by her half-brother and second husband, Ptolemy XI
Hongxi Emperor of Great Ming
7 September 1424 – 29 May 1425
264 days (8 months, 22 days)
Death of his father, the Yongle Emperor
Died
Sancho II King of León
12 January – 6 October 1072
268 days (8 months, 24 days)
Deposed and imprisoned his brother, Alfonso VI
Killed at the Siege of Zamora
Albert V Prince of Anhalt-Bernburg
29 December 1468 – 24 September 1469
271 days (8 months, 26 days)
Was given Anhalt-Bernburg to rule
Died of old age
Matilda Lady of the English
2 February – c. 1 November 1141
c. 272 days (8 months, 28 days)(disputed)
Captured her cousin Stephen, King of England , at the Battle of Lincoln
Stephen exchanged (behind her back and against her will) for her half-brother Robert, 1st Earl of Gloucester , who was captured at the Rout of Winchester . She was called Lady of the English and not Queen because she was never crowned despite planning to this end.
William III King of Sicily
February–October 1194
<9 months
Death of his father, Tancred
Deposed by his uncle, Henry I
Claudine Lady of Monaco
July 1457 – 16 March 1458
<9 months
Death of her father, Catalan Grimaldi . As she was only six years old, her grandmother Pomellina Fregoso was named regent in her father's will.
Pomellina was deposed after trying to murder Lamberto Grimaldi , Claudine's cousin and bethrothed. Lamberto then assumed the position of Lord of Monaco in detriment of his future wife.
Mamia I King of Imereti (second reign)
October 1711 – June 1712
<9 months
Deposed George VII , who fled to Kartli
Fled to Kartli himself after being defeated by George VII at the Battle of Chkhari
Marduk-apla-iddina II King of Babylon (second reign)
703-702 BC
9 months
Deposed Marduk-zakir-shumi II
Fled to Elam after his defeat by Sennacherib of Assyria
Benedict IX Pope(third reign)
November 1047 – July 1048
9 months
Returned to Rome after the death of Clement II
Expelled by the troops of Henry III of Germany , who imposed Damasus II
Uthman ibn Abi-Bakr King of Valencia
1085–1086
9 months[ 42]
Death of his father, Abu-Bakr ibn Abd-al-Aziz
Deposed by Yahya al-Qadir
Gavril Radomir Emperor of Bulgaria
6 October 1014 – August 1015
9 months
Death of his father Samuel
Murdered by his cousin Ivan Vladislav
Chodaganga King of Polonnaruwa
1196–1197
9 months
Assassinated Vikramabahu II
Deposed and blinded by General Tavuru Senevirat who handed power to Queen Lilavati , widow of Parakramabahu I
Lokissara King of Polonnaruwa
1210–1211
9 months
Invaded Sri Lanka with a Tamil army from the continent, deposing Lilavati
Deposed by General Parakrama, who restored Lilavati
Tekle Haymanot II Emperor of Ethiopia(first reign)
18 October 1769 – August 1770
9 months
Succeeded his father Yohannes II
Deposed when he left Gondar for Tigray
Az-Zahir Caliph of Islam
5 October 1225 – 10 July 1226
278 days (9 months, 5 days)
Death of his father, An-Nasir
Died of natural causes
Harold II King of the English
5 January – 14 October 1066
282 days (9 months, 9 days)
Elected by the Witenagemot at the suggestion of the dying king Edward the Confessor
Killed at the Battle of Hastings
Clement II Pope
25 December 1046 – 9 October 1047
288 days (9 months, 14 days)
Elected at the request of Henry III of Germany, following the depositions of competing popes Benedict IX , Sylvester III , and Gregory VI
Poisoned with lead sugar , either accidentally or intentionally
Christian II King of Sweden
1 November 1520 – 23 August 1521
295 days (9 months, 22 days)
Conquered Sweden, which had been in rebellion against the Kalmar Union for seven years
Deposed by the rebel "Protector of the Realm" Gustav Vasa , who was elected King Gustav I in 1523
Vetranio Western Roman Emperor
1 March – 25 December 350
299 days (9 months, 24 days)
Made co-emperor of Constantius II after the assassination of Constans
Deposed by Constantius II, who became single emperor
Habibullah Kalakani Emir of Afghanistan
14 December 1928 – 13 October 1929
303 days (9 months, 29 days)
Abdication of Inayatullah Khan
Deposed and executed by Mohammed Nadir Shah
Aaron I Prince of Moldavia(first reign)
September 1591 – before 20 June 1592
<10 months
Designated by the Ottomans after the abdication of Peter VI
Deposed by the Ottomans and replaced with Alexander V
Agustín I Emperor of Mexico
19 May 1822 – 19 March 1823
304 days (10 months)
Elected by the Congress of Mexico after Ferdinand VII of Spain refused the position for himself and any of his relatives
Abdicated. The monarchy was abolished shortly after.
Leo II Eastern Roman Emperor
18 January – November 474
10 months
Made augustus (co-emperor) by his grandfather, Leo I
Died
Carus Roman Emperor
c. September 282 – c. July 283
Around 10 months
Either assassinated Probus , or was proclaimed after such assassination
Allegedly struck by lightning while campaigning against the Sassanids
Muhammad XII Emir of Granada (first reign)
June 1482 – 20 April 1483
Around 10 months
Rebelled against his father, Muley Hacén , seizing Granada and Almería . His father successfully defended and retained Málaga .
Captured at the Battle of Lucena during an incursion in Castilian territory. Liberated by the Christians in order to fuel inter-Muslim conflict, he titled himself Emir again in 1487 and reigned until 1492.
Simon I Prince of Wallachia (first reign)
October 1600 – 3 July 1601
Around 10 months
Assassination of Michael II
Deposed by Radu IX
Ismail II Emir of Granada
23 August 1359 – 24 June or 13 July 1360
306–325 days (10 months, 1–19 days)
Deposed and exiled his brother, Muhammad V , to North Africa
Deposed and assassinated by his brother-in-law, Muhammad VI
Romulus Augustus Western Roman Emperor
31 October 475 – 4 September 476
309 days (10 months, 4 days)
Installed in Ravenna by his father, General Orestes , after rebelling against Julius Nepos . The latter fled to Dalmatia and continued ruling there as Western Roman emperor until 480.
Deposed by Odoacer , who sent the imperial insignia to Constantinople and titled himself King of Italy
Martin II King of Sicily
25 July 1409 – 31 May 1410
310 days (10 months, 6 days)
Death of his son Martin I
Died
Antipope Alexander V Pope
26 June 1409 – 3 May 1410
311 days (10 months, 7 days)
Elected in opposition to the Roman pope Gregory XII and the Avignon pope Benedict XIII
Died suddenly
Louise Hippolyte Princess of Monaco
20 February – 29 December 1731
312 days (10 months, 9 days)
Death of her father, Anthony I
Died of smallpox
Zhao Bing Emperor of Song
10 May 1278 – 19 March 1279
313 days (10 months, 9 days)
Death of his half-brother Emperor Duanzong
Murdered by his chancellor Lu Xiufu during the Battle of Yamen
Narawara King of Burma
14 April 1672 – 27 February 1673
319 days (10 months, 13 days)
Death of his father, Pye Min
Died
Edward VIII King of the United Kingdom, the British Dominions , and Emperor of India
20 January – 11 December 1936
326 days (10 months, 21 days)
Death of his father, George V
Abdicated in favour of his brother George VI in order to marry Wallis Simpson , a twice-divorced American socialite
Fuad II King of Egypt and the Sudan
26 July 1952 – 18 June 1953
327 days (10 months, 23 days)
Abdication of his father, Farouk I
Monarchy abolished
Paul Doumer Co-Prince of Andorra
13 June 1931 – 7 May 1932
329 days (10 months, 24 days)
Became Prince of Andorra as President of France
Assassinated
Jovan Nenad Tsar of Bačka
29 August 1526 – 26 July 1527
331 days (10 months, 28 days)
Carved a Serbian kingdom in southern Hungary after the death of Louis II in the Battle of Mohacs , refusing to recognize John Zapolya as King of Hungary and collaborating with the Habsburgs
Assassinated after failing to link with the Habsburgs
Baldwin I Latin Emperor of Constantinople
16 May 1204 – 14 April 1205
333 days (10 months, 29 days)
Elected by the Crusaders after the Sack of Constantinople
Captured by Kaloyan of Bulgaria at the Battle of Adrianople . Later died in prison
Al-Muhtadi Caliph of Islam
21/22 July 869 – 21 June 870
334–335 days (11 months)
Assassination of his cousin, Al-Mu'tazz
Assassinated
Marwan I Caliph of Islam
June 684 – April/May 685
10–11 months
Elected after the death of Muawiya II
Died
Alexander III Prince of Wallachia
Began August–November 1592, ended 2–12 September 1593
11–14 months
Succeeded Stephen I
Deposed by Michael II and exiled to Constantinople, where he was accused of conspiracy and executed in 1597
Dmitry I Tsar of Russia
10 June 1605 – 17 May 1606
341 days (11 months, 7 days)
Deposition of Feodor II
Assassinated
Richard III Duke of Normandy
28 August 1026 – 6 August 1027
343 days (11 months, 9 days)
Death of his father Richard II
Died of illness
Napoleon I Emperor of Elba
11 April 1814 – 20 March 1815
343 days (11 months, 9 days)
Title created by the Treaty of Fontainebleau
Fled to France
Moshoeshoe II King of Lesotho (second reign)
25 January 1995 – 15 January 1996
355 days (11 months, 21 days)
Reinstated as king in the place of his son Letsie III
Died in a car accident
Alfonso II King of Naples
25 January 1494 – 23 January 1495
363 days (11 months, 29 days)
Death of his father, Ferdinand I
Abdicated in favour of his son, Ferdinand II
Christian (I) Duke of Saxe-Lauenburg
16 November 1863 – 15 November 1864
364 days (11 months, 30 days)
Became King of Denmark as Christian IX and Duke of Schleswig-Holstein and Duke of Saxe-Lauenburg upon the death of Frederick VII
Saxe-Lauenburg came under the control of Austria and Prussia in 1864.
Charles III Duke of Parma (first reign)
19 April 1848 – April 1849
Around 12 months
Abdication of his father, Charles II , after both fled during the Revolutions of 1848
Father restored by Austrian troops
Simon I Prince of Wallachia(second reign)
August 1601 – August 1602
Around 12 months
Deposed Radu IX
Deposed by Radu X
Zababa-shuma-iddin King of Babylon
c. 1158 BC
1 year
Succeeded Marduk-apla-iddina I
Succeeded by Enlil-nadin-ahi
Michael VI Eastern Roman Emperor
31 August 1056 – 31 August 1057
365 days (12 months)
Succeeded Theodora III after being chosen by her as successor, shortly before her death
Abdicated in favour of Isaac I and became a monk
Elizabeth II Queen of Tanganyika
9 December 1961 – 9 December 1962
365 days (12 months)
Gained independence within the Commonwealth of Nations and shared a monarch with Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and certain other sovereign states
Monarchy abolished
Elizabeth II Queen of Uganda
9 October 1962 – 9 October 1963
365 days (12 months)
Elizabeth II Queen of Kenya
12 December 1963 – 12 December 1964
366 days (12 months)
Other monarchs who may have reigned for less than a year
The following monarchs may also have reigned for less than a year, but only an approximate length of reign is known.
Portrait
Monarch
Reign
Reason for accession
Reason for reign's end
5–70 unnamed rulers Pharaohs of Egypt (Seventh Dynasty )
c. 2181 BC (70–75 days total)
Existence questioned due to poor and imprecise records. Some believe it fictional, a metaphor for a chaotic interregnum between the Sixth and Eighth Dynasties ; others that it really existed but its pharaohs were included in the Eighth Dynasty by mistake.
Neferkare Pepiseneb Pharaoh of Egypt
2181–2170 BC
Succeeded Neferkahor
Succeeded by Neferkamin Anu after a reign of one year or more. Only attested in the Abydos King List and possibly the Turin King List (as Neferkare Khered Seneb)
Sewadjkare I Pharaoh of Egypt
c. 1781 BC or 1737 BC
Succeeded Sehetepibre
Succeeded by Nedjemibre . Only known from the Turin King List, which originally included his reign duration but is illegible due to damage
Ashur-shaduni King of Assyria
c. 1473 BC
Succeeded his father, Nur-ili
Deposed by his uncle, Ashur-rabi I
Kara-hardash King of Babylon
c. 1333 BC
Succeeded his father, Burnaburiash II
Assassinated by Nazi-Bugash
Ninurta-tukulti-Ashur King of Assyria
c. 1132 BC
Succeeded his father, Ashur-dan I
Deposed by his brother, Mutakkil-Nusku
Mutakkil-Nusku King of Assyria
c. 1132 BC
Deposed his brother, Ninurta-tukulti-Ashur
Died
Nazi-Bugash King of Babylon
c. 1333 BC
Assassinated Kara-hardash
Assassinated by Ashur-uballit I of Assyria , who installed Kara-hardash's brother Kurigalzu II on the throne
Baba-aha-iddina King of Babylon
813-812 BC
Succeeded Marduk-balassu-iqbi
Deposed by Shamshi-Adad V of Assyria
Marduk-zakir-shumi II King of Babylon
703 BC
Proclaimed in rebellion against Sennacherib of Assyria
Deposed by Marduk-apla-iddina II
Sinsharishkun King of Babylon
626 BC
Defeated the rebel Sîn-šumu-līšir
Independence of Babylon under Nabopolassar
Pausanias King of Macedon
394/393 – 393/392 BC
Became king after Amyntas II was assassinated
Assassinated by a distant cousin, Amyntas III
Nidin-Bel King of Babylon
Autumn 336 – 335 BC
Possible rebel king between the reigns of Artaxerxes IV and Darius III ; existence dubious
Laconicus King of Sparta
192 BC
Proclaimed after the assassination of Nabis of Sparta
Sparta annexed by the Achaean League
Antiochus King of Syria
150 BC
Only known from a coin minted at the end of Demetrius I Soter 's reign
Seleucus V King of Syria
125 BC
Assassination of his father, Demetrius II Nicator
Assassinated by his mother and co-ruler, Cleopatra Thea
Cleopatra IV Pharaoh of Egypt
28 June 116 BC – 115 BC
Death of her father, Ptolemy VIII . Reigned alongside her brother and husband, Ptolemy IX
Pushed out of joint rule by her mother, Cleopatra III
Zhao Jiande King of Nanyue
112–111 BC
Assassination of Zhao Xing
Assassinated, Nanyue annexed by the Han dynasty
Antiochus XI King of Syria
94–93 BC
Proclaimed himself king after his brother Seleucus VI was killed fighting against their cousin Antiochus X
Died in battle against Antiochus X
Arsaces King of Pontus
37–36 BC
Death of his brother Darius
Died
Sundara Satakarni Satavahana dynasty
76-77 (~1 year)
Succeeded Purindrsena
Died in battle Saka-Satavahana Wars
Chakora Svatikarna Satavahana dynasty
77-78 (~6 months)
Succeeded Sundara Satakarni
Died in battle Saka-Satavahana Wars
Liu Yi Emperor of Han
125
Elected to succeed the late Emperor An
Died of illness
Adur Narseh Shah of Persia
209
Death of his father, Hormizd II
Assassinated and replaced with Shapur II . His reign is questioned by some historians because he is mentioned in Greek sources but not in Persian ones.
Gongsun Yuan King of Yan
237–238
Rebelled against Cao Wei
Deposed and executed by Wei, along with his family
Vithimiris /Vinitharius King of the Goths
c. 376
Suicide of Ermanaric when faced by Alan and Hunnic invasions
Killed in battle with the Huns
Ellac King of the Huns
453–454
Death of his father, Attila
Killed at the Battle of Nedao
Ildibad King of the Ostrogoths
540–541
Elected after Witiges was taken prisoner to Constantinople by the Byzantines
Murdered by his bodyguard[ c]
John King of the Moors and Romans
545–546
Elected after the death of Stotzas in the Battle of Thacia
Arrested by the Byzantines and crucified in Constantinople
Teia King of the Ostrogoths
Began July 552, ended October 552 – early 553
Elected after the death of Totila in the Battle of Taginae
Killed at the Battle of Mons Lactarius
Seaxburh Queen of Wessex
672–674
Succeeded her husband, Cenwalh of Wessex , after his death. Only woman included in the list of kings of Wessex
Died. The throne was inherited by either Cenfus or his son Æscwine , who were distant relatives of her husband.
Roderic King of the Visigoths
710/711–711/712
Seized the throne by force, either assassinating Wittiza or in the aftermath of Wittiza's death by other causes
Killed at the Battle of Guadalete
Sigeberht King of Wessex
756–757
Succeeded Cuthred , a distant relative
Deposed by Cynewulf and later assassinated
Sabin Khan of Bulgaria
765–766
Assassination of Telets
Deposed, fled to Constantinople
Toktu Khan of Bulgaria
766–767
Succeeded Umor , possibly after deposing him
Assassinated while trying to flee from a revolt
Pagan Khan of Bulgaria
767–768
Elected after the deposition or assassination of Toktu.
Deposed and assassinated.
Dae Won-ui King of Balhae
c. 793 – November 793
Death of his father Mun
Assassinated on the order of his nephew Seong by the ministers
Seong King of Balhae
November 793 – mid 794
Assassinated his uncle Dae Won-ui
Deposed and assassinated by his uncle Gang
Anulo King of Denmark
812
Death of King Hemming . Anulo and his followers claimed him to be the rightful new king of Denmark.
Killed in battle fought against another claimant for the kingship of Denmark (the party of Anulo won the battle, and Anulo's brothers became new joint kings of Denmark)
Sigfred King of Denmark
812
Death of King Hemming. Sigfred and his followers claimed him to be the rightful new king of Denmark.
Killed in battle fought against another claimant for the kingship of Denmark
Gan King of Balhae
817–818
Death of his father Hui
Assassinated by his uncle Seon
Nepotian King of Asturias
842
Succeeded his childless "kinsman", Alfonso II , whom he had served as count of the palace
Deposed by Alfonso's second degree cousin, Ramiro I
Fruela King of Asturias
866
Seized the throne by force in the aftermath of Ordoño I 's death
Assassinated after some months and replaced with Ordoño's son, Alfonso III . Called "The Usurper " to distinguish from Fruela I and Fruela II
Jeonggang King of Silla
886–887
Death of his brother, Heongang
Died
Alfonso Fróilaz King of Leon
July 925 – late 925
Death of his father, Fruela II
Deposed by his cousins Sancho Ordóñez , Alfonso IV , and Ramiro II , who then fought among themselves. Fróilaz allied with Alfonso IV and may have been rewarded with a sub-kingdom in the northeast until both were removed by Ramiro II in 932.
Arinjaya Chola Chola dynasty
957-958 CE
Succeeded Gandaraditya Chola
Died in a war in Arrur, succeeded by Parantaka Chola II
Bezprym Duke of Poland
1031 – spring? 1032
Flight of his brother Mieszko II to Bohemia during a period of German and Kievan invasions
Assassinated. Duchy divided between his brothers Mieszko and Otto and cousin Dytryk
Abd Allah ibn al-Hakam al-Tujibi King of Zaragoza
1039
Assassinated his cousin, Al-Mundhir ibn Yahya
Deposed by Al-Musta'in I
Eric and Eric Kings of Sweden
1066–1067
Death of Stenkil . Each claimed the throne for himself and fought the other.
Killed in battle in quick succession. The throne went to Stenkil's son, Halsten .
Ragnvald Knaphövde King of Sweden
late 1120s
Elected in Östergötland after the death of Inge
Assassinated by the Geats , who had elected Magnus I
David V King of Georgia
c. 1154–1155
Deposed his father, Demetrius I
Unclear, but likely assassinated. His reign is given different lengths in different chronicles: from one to six months, to even two years.
Magnus II King of Sweden
1160–1161
Assassinated Eric IX
Killed in battle with Eric IX's son, Charles VII
Parakrama Pandyan I Pandya dynasty
1161–1162
Executed by Parakramabahu I
Succeeded by Vira Pandya III
Jaya Harivarman II King of Champa
1166–1167
Succeeded Jaya Harivarman I
Succeeded by Jaya Indravarman IV
Vijayabahu II King of Polonnaruwa
1186–1187
Death of his uncle, Parakramabahu I
Assassinated by Mahinda VI
Suryajayavarman King of Champa
1190–1191
Installed by the Khmer after they invaded and deposed Jaya Indravarman IV
Fled to Cambodia during the revolt of Vidyanandana , leaving the capital Vijaya to Jaya Indravarman V
Jaya Indravarman V King of Champa
1191–1192
Flight of Suryajayavarman
Assassinated by Vidyanandana
Dharmasoka King of Polonnaruwa
1208–1209
Succeeded Kalyanavati
Assassinated by Anikanga
Lilavati Queen of Polonnaruwa (second reign)
1209–1210
Assassination of Anikanga by General Vikkantacamunakka, who surrendered control to Lilavati
Deposed by Lokissara
Peter I Latin Emperor of Constantinople
1216–1217
Elected after the death of his brother-in-law, Henry I
Captured during a failed campaign against the Despotate of Epirus ; he died in prison in 1219.
Lý Chiêu Hoàng Empress of Đại Việt
October 1224 – October/November 1225
Abdication of her father, Lý Huệ Tông , who retired to become a Buddhist monk .
Forced to abdicate in favour of her husband, Trần Thái Tông . She was the only empress regnant in the history of Vietnam .
Ermengol IX Count of Urgell
1243
Death of his father, Ponce I
Died, reasons unknown
Haraldr Guðrøðarson King of Mann and the Isles
1249–1250
Assassinated his cousin Rǫgnvaldr Óláfsson
Deposed and exiled to Norway by Haakon IV , who probably also installed Rǫgnvaldr's brother Magnús Óláfsson as king
Tsenfa Arad Emperor of Ethiopia
1294–1295
Five sons of Yagbe'u Seyon reigned consecutively after him for one year each, possibly as a result of dynastic confusion.[ 43]
Throne seized by their uncle Wedem Arad
Hezba Asagad Emperor of Ethiopia
1295–1296
Qedma Asagad Emperor of Ethiopia
1296–1297
Jan Asagad Emperor of Ethiopia
1297–1298
Saba Asagad Emperor of Ethiopia
1298–1299
Simon II Lord of Lippe
10 August 1344 – Late 1344
Death of his father Simon I
Died likely of age related causes
Albert III Prince of Anhalt-Zerbst
1359 – c. 1 August 1359
Made co-monarch alongside his uncle Waldemar I
Died
Balc Prince of Moldavia
1359 or 1364
Death of his father, Sas
Deposed by Bogdan I
Peter I Prince of Moldavia
1367 – July 1368
Death of his grandfather, Bogdan I
Deposed by his uncle, Lațcu
Dương Nhật Lễ Emperor of Đại Việt
1369–1370
Death of his uncle, Trần Dụ Tông
Deposed by his father-in-law, Trần Nghệ Tông
Al-Musta'sim Caliph of Cairo (first reign)
1377
Deposition of Al-Mutawakkil I
Deposed by Al-Mutawakkil I. He became Caliph a second time in 1386–1389.
Yusuf II Emir of Granada
1391–1392
Death of his father, Muhammad V
Possibly assassinated by his son, Muhammad VII
Hồ Quý Ly Emperor of Đại Ngu
28 February 1400–1401
Deposed his grandson, Trần Thiếu Đế
Abdicated in favour of his son, Hồ Hán Thương
Virupaksha Raya Emperor of Vijayanagara
1404–1405
Death of Harihara II
Killed by his own sons
Ramachandra Raya Emperor of Vijayanagara
1422
Death of Deva Raya I
Succeeded by Veera Vijaya Bukka Raya
Muhammad IX Emir of Granada(second reign)
1430–1431
Deposed and assassinated Muhammad VIII , who had deposed him earlier
Deposed by Yusuf IV
Yusuf IV Emir of Granada
1 January 1432 – c. 1432
Deposed Muhammad IX
Deposed by Muhammad IX
Peter III Prince of Moldavia(first reign)
May 1444–1445
Made co-prince by his half-brother Stephen II after he deposed his other brother and previous co-prince, Iliaș , who had been imposed by the Poles
Unknown. He became co-prince again in 1447, this time with his nephew Roman II , a son of Iliaș.
Yusuf V Emir of Granada
1445–1446
Deposed his nephew Muhammad X
Deposed by Muhammad X
1462
Deposed his brother Abu Nasr Sa'd
Deposed by Abu Nasr Sa'd
Muhammad XI Emir of Granada
1453–1454
Death of Muhammad IX
Deposed by Abu Nasr Sa'd and assassinated by Sa'd's son, Muley Hacén
Praudha Raya Emperor of Vijayanagara
1485
Succeeded Virupaksha Raya II
Deposed by Saluva Narasimha Deva Raya
Thimma Bhupala Emperor of Vijayanagara
1491 (~2 months)
Death of Saluva Narasimha Deva Raya
Assassinated by an unknown Sangama dynasty commander
Al-Mustamsik Caliph of Cairo(second reign)
1516–1517
Deposed his son Al-Mutawakkil III , who had previously deposed him in 1508
Abdicated in favor of Al-Mutawakkil III
Al-Mutawakkil III Caliph of Cairo(second reign)
1517
Abdication of his father
Captured by Selim I and deported to Constantinople, where he surrendered the title to Selim (according to later tradition)
Tupac Amaru I Sapa Inca
1571 – 24 September 1572
Death of his brother Titu Cusi Yupanqui
Executed by the Spanish
Mạc Toàn Emperor of Đại Việt
1592–1593
Capture and assassination of his father Mạc Mậu Hợp by the Lê
Abdicated in favour of Mạc Kính Chỉ
Mạc Kính Chỉ Emperor of Đại Việt
1592–1593
Abdication of Mạc Toàn
Assassinated by the Trịnh lords
Karposh King of Kumanovo
October? – November? 1689
Recognized as King by the Habsburgs while in rebellion against the Ottoman Empire
Captured and executed by the Ottomans
Mamia I King of Imereti (first reign)
1701
Installed as puppet king by his father-in-law Giorgi Abashidze, following the assassination of Simon I
Abdicated in favour of Abashidze, who became King George VI of Imereti , and returned to Guria where he continued ruling as Prince
Abdullah I King of Iraq
8 March 1920 – c. 1920
Proclaimed by the Congress of Iraq
Refused the position. Became Emir of Transjordan in 1921 and King of Jordan in 1946
See also
Notes
^ Shajar al-Durr has often been referred to as a "Sultana", but there is in fact no feminine form of Sultan and she herself used the title "Sultan" on her coinage.[ 39]
^ Sinmu is recorded as having reigned for three lunar months , slightly shorter than solar ones .
^ Not assassinated, as the murder had no political aim.
References
^ a b "Shortest reign of a monarch" . Guinness World Records .
^ Guinness Book of World Records . Sterling Publishing . 1975. p. 377. ISBN 978-0-8069-0012-4 . The shortest recorded reign was that of the Dauphin Louis Antoine, who was technically King Louis XIX of France for the 15 minutes between the signature of Charles X (1757–1836) and his own signature to the act of abdication.
^ Blanc, Louis (1848). France Under Louis Philippe . Translated by Walter Kelly. p. 214.
^ Pinoteau, Hervé (1982). "Notes de vexillologie royale française" . Hidalguía. La revista de genealogía, nobleza y armas (172– 173). Madrid: 361– 362. LOUIS ANTOINE, montrant ainsi qu'il ne se considérait point roi Louis XIX entre le moment où son père avait signé CHARLES et celui où il avait mis son propre nom. Ceci dit pour corriger les auteurs qui sont nombreux à dire que l'on eut quelques minutes durant un roi Louis XIX en 1830.
^ Nowell, Charles E. (1973). Portugal . Prentice-Hall. p. 133. ISBN 978-0-13-686915-3 .
^ Book of Wei , chapter 9 .
^ Sinica calendar converter.
^ 历史上短命的皇帝有哪些 [Short-lived emperors in history]. Shangdu.com (in Chinese). Henan Culture Web (河南文化网). 16 July 2013. Archived from the original on 2 December 2013. Retrieved 17 November 2013 .
^ J.N.D Kelly & M.J. Walsh (2010). A Dictionary of Popes . Oxford University Press . p. 92. ISBN 978-0-19-929581-4 .
^ Tan Koon San (2014). Dynastic China: An Elementary History . The Other Press. p. 261. ISBN 9789839541885 .
^ name=Pham>Pham, John-Peter. Heirs of the Fisherman: Behind the Scenes of Papal Death and Succession , Oxford University Press, 2004 ISBN 9780199334827
^ "The Abdication of Nicholas II: 100 Years Later" . The Russian Legitimist . Retrieved 30 January 2018 .
^ Damrong Rajanubhab (1936). Journey Through Burma . p. 170. ISBN 9789748358857
^ Obeyesekere, Donald (1999). Outlines of Ceylon history . Asian Educational Services. p. 176. ISBN 9788120613638 .
^ Miller, William (1969) [1926]. Trebizond: The last Greek Empire of the Byzantine Era: 1204–1461 . Chicago: Argonaut. p. 50.
^ Dhammakitti; Sumangala, Tibbotuvāve (1998) [4th-18th Century CE]. Cūḷavaṃsa . Translated by Geiger, Wilhelm. [full citation needed ]
^ Prutsch, M. (2012). Making Sense of Constitutional Monarchism in Post-Napoleonic France and Germany . Springer. p. 15. ISBN 978-1-137-29165-3 .
^ Holoman, D. Kern (2004). The Société Des Concerts Du Conservatoire, 1828–1967 . University of California Press . p. 184. ISBN 978-0-520-23664-6 .
^ "Louis Philippe" . Encyclopædia Britannica .
^ Panton, Kenneth J. (2015). Historical Dictionary of the British Empire . Rowman & Littlefield . pp. 578– 579. ISBN 978-0-8108-7524-1 .
^ Guillaume, Marie-Christine (2004). La Terre du Dragon: Références culturelles sur le Vietnam (in French). Vol. 2. Paris: Publibook. p. 47. ISBN 9782748316476 .
^ John S. Major, Constance A. Cook (2016). Ancient China: A History . Routledge . p. 182. ISBN 978-1-317-50366-8 .
^ Baumer, Christoph (2018). History of Central Asia, 4 volume set . Bloomsbury Publishing . p. 366. ISBN 978-1-83860-867-5 .
^ Osmańczyk, Edmund (2003). Encyclopedia of the United Nations and International Agreements: N to S . New York: Routledge . p. 1545. ISBN 978-0-415-93923-2 .
^ "Stephen (II)" . Encyclopædia Britannica .
^ Anderson, James (2012). The Rebel Den of Nung Trí Cao . Singapore: University of Washington Press . p. 56. ISBN 978-0-295-80077-6 .
^ Taylor, K. W. (2013). A History of the Vietnamese . Cambridge University Press . p. 650. ISBN 978-1-107-24435-1 .
^ "Biografia de Juan II de Portugal" . biografiasyvidas.com . Retrieved 12 May 2022 .
^ "John I" . Encyclopædia Britannica .
^ Hammond, N. C. L; Griffith, G. T. (1972). A History of Macedonia: 550–336 B.C . Clarendon Press . p. 167. ISBN 978-0-19-814814-2 .
^ Carney, E. (2015) King and Court in Ancient Macedonia: Rivalry, Treason and Conspiracy. ISD LLC.
^ Hall, K. R.; Whitmore, J. K. (1976). Explorations in Early Southeast Asian History . University of Michigan Press . p. 284. ISBN 978-0-89148-011-2 .
^ Dănuț Zuzeac (2016). "Cea mai scurtă domnie din Evul Mediu. Cum a ajuns un boier să stea pe tronul Moldovei doar câteva zile" . Adevărul
^ Wallis Budge, E. A. (1970) [1928]. A History of Ethiopia: Nubia and Abyssinia . Oosterhout, the Netherlands: Anthropological Publications. p. 481. Budge considers him the son of Iyasus and brother of Iyoas.
^ Peachin, Michael (1990). Roman Imperial Titulature and Chronology, A.D. 235–284 . Amsterdam: Gieben. p. 43. ISBN 90-5063-034-0 .
^ Banchich, Thomas (1999). "Quintillus (270 A.D)" . De Imperatoribus Romanis . Sources give him a reign-length of 17 days, 20 days, 77 days and "a few months". The claim that he ruled for 17 days is probably a mistake.
^ Stewart, John (2005). African States and Rulers . London: McFarland. pp. 19– 20. ISBN 0-7864-2562-8 .
^ Seaman, R.M. (2013) Conflict in the Early Americas: An Encyclopedia of the Spanish Empire's Aztec, Incan, and Mayan Conquests . ABC-CLIO, 485 pages.
^ Holt, P. M.; Lambton, Ann K. S. ; Lewis, Bernard , eds. (1977). The Cambridge History of Islam . Cambridge University Press. p. 210. ISBN 978-0-521-29135-4 . OCLC 3549123 . Retrieved 1 March 2010 .
^ Wallis Budge, E. A. (1970) [1928]. A History of Ethiopia: Nubia and Abyssinia . Oosterhout, the Netherlands: Anthropological Publications. p. 481.
^ Wallis Budge, E. A. (1970) [1928]. A History of Ethiopia: Nubia and Abyssinia . Oosterhout, the Netherlands: Anthropological Publications. p. 469.
^ [Valencia, ¿? – ¿?, d. 1086] 'Utmán ben Abū Bakr Muḥammad ben ʿAbd al-‘Azíz.
^ Taddesse Tamrat, Church and State in Ethiopia (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1972), p. 72.