1588 state leaders - Events of 1589 - 1590 state leaders - State leaders by year

Africa

• Ethiopia - Sarsa Dengel, Emperor of Ethiopia (1563-1597)
• Kongo - Álvaro II, Manikongo (1587 - 1614)
• Sennar - Tayyib (1587/8-1591)
• Songhai Empire - Askia Ishaq II, Askia of the Songhai Empire (1588-1591)

Asia

• Bukhara - Abdullah Khan II, Khan of Bukhara (1577-1598)
• China (Ming Dynasty) - Wanli, Emperor of China (1573-1620)
• Dai Viet - Lê Thế Tông, Emperor of Dai Viet (1573-1599)
  • Đàng Ngoài - Trịnh Tùng, Trịnh Lord (1570-1623)
  • Đàng Trong - Nguyễn Hoàng, Nguyễn Lord (1558–1613)
• Japan
  • Monarch - Go-Yozei, Emperor of Japan (1586-1611)
  • Regent (Kampaku) - Toyotomi Hideyoshi, Sessho and Kampaku (1585-1598)
• Khiva - Haji Muhammad I, Khan of Khiva (1558-1602)
• Korea (Joseon Dynasty) - Seonjo, King of Joseon (1567-1608)
• Mughal Empire - Akbar, Mughal Emperor (1556-1605)
• Ryūkyū Kingdom - Shō Nei, King of Ryūkyū (1587-1620)

Europe

• Denmark-Norway - Christian IV, King of Denmark and Norway (1588-1648)
• England and Ireland — Elizabeth I, Queen of England and Ireland (1558–1603)
• France
  • Henry III, King of France (1574-1589)
  • Henry IV, King of France (1589-1610)
• Holy Roman Empire - Rudolf II, Holy Roman Emperor (1576-1612)
• Hungary - Rudolf I, King of Hungary (1576-1608)
• Navarre - Henry III of Navarre, King of Navarre (1572-1610)
• Papal States - Sixtus V, Pope (1585-1590)
• Poland - Sigismund III Vasa, King of Poland (1587-1632)
• Russia
  • Tsar - Feodor I, Tsar of Russia (1584-1598)
  • Regent - Boris Godunov (1584-1598)
• Scotland - James VI, King of Scotland (1567-1625)
• Spain and Portugal - Philip II (1556-1598)
• Sweden - John III, King of Sweden (1568-1592)
• United Provinces
  • Estates of Friesland, Groningen, Guelders, Holland, Overijssel, Utrecht, Zeeland (1581-1795)
  • Stadtholder - Maurice of Nassau, Prince of Orange, Stadtholder of Holland and Zeeland (1585 - 1625)
  • Grand Pensionary of Holland - Johan van Oldebarnevelt (1586-1619)
• Venice - Pasqual Cicogna, Doge of Venice (1585-1595)

Middle East and North Africa

• Morocco - Ahmad I al-Mansur Saadi, Sultan of the Saadi dynasty (1578-1603)
• Ottoman Empire - Murad III, Sultan of the Ottoman Empire (1574-1595)
• Safavid Empire - Abbas I Shah of Iran (1587-1629)