10 of the world’s oldest monarchs who ruled despite their age

There have been numerous monarchs throughout history, most of whom died young from disease, rebellion, or other causes. However, some monarchs lived extremely long – and continued to rule their kingdoms. Here are ten of the oldest monarchs who remained on the throne despite their age.

Related: 10 Unlikely People Who Became Royalty

10 Pepi II

Pepi II was the fifth pharaoh of the 6th dynasty of Egypt and reigned from about the year 2325 BC. When Pepi II was named pharaoh, he was actually only four years old.

Because of how far back Pepi II’s reign dates, little is known about his time as king. What we do know is that he presided over the end of the Old Kingdom, the period when the Great Pyramids of Giza were built. At the end of Pepi II’s reign, the Old Kingdom finally collapsed, ushering in the chaotic First Intermediate Period.

Although we know little about what Pepi II did during his reign, we do know that he ruled Egypt for a long time. Pepi II remained in power for 94 years, only relinquishing the throne when he died at the age of 98.^[1]

9 Min Hti, king of Arakan

One of the longest-reigning monarchs, and the oldest at the time of his death, is actually a monarch we know little about. The king in question is a man named Min Hti, who was king of Arakan, or present-day Myanmar, from about 1279 to about 1374.

Min Hti was born sometime in the early 1270s, which would have made him about ten years old when he ascended the throne. The king’s reign was largely marked by wars and military conquests. His kingdom was eventually succeeded by his son, though not before it fell into a bit of turmoil.

Although the exact length of his reign is disputed, it is estimated that Min Hti reigned for about 95 years. That would have made him somewhere between 98 and 100 years old at the time of his death.^[2]

8 Elizabeth the Second

Elizabeth II is one of the most recent monarchs to have died and was the Queen of the United Kingdom from 1952 to 2022.

Born on April 21, 1926, Elizabeth was the daughter of Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon and Prince Albert. Interestingly enough, Elizabeth didn’t really become eligible for the throne until her uncle abdicated, making her father the king and Elizabeth the heir apparent.

When Elizabeth’s father died in 1952, he left her as the new queen. Elizabeth’s reign was largely marked by her efforts to modernize the monarchy and create a royal family more relevant to popular culture.

Elizabeth reigned for a total of 70 years and died at the age of 96. That makes her one of the oldest monarchs to have reigned, despite her age!^[3]

7 Ramses II

Another famous Egyptian king who reigned well into his later years was Ramesses II. Ramses II was the third king of Egypt’s 19th dynasty and ascended the throne in 1279 BC. Like many other monarchs, Ramesses II was ushered into the monarchy at a young age.

At just thirteen years old, Ramesses II was put in charge of a country that had fallen into decline thanks to his predecessors, Akhenaten and Tutankhamun. Still, that didn’t stop Ramses. He then led Egypt to a time of prosperity and built several great temples that still exist today.

In addition to building temples, he also spent the early part of his reign performing military feats and improving relations with neighboring nations. All this led the Egyptians to nickname him Ramses the Great, thanks to the good he did for Egypt.

While we cannot be sure of his age at the time of his death, historians estimate that Ramses II was about 90 years old when he took his last breath. That makes him one of the oldest monarchs who ever lived!^[4]

6 Chan Imix K’awiil

Chan Imix K’awaiil is not a king most of us have heard of. This Mayan king reigned in Copán, Honduras, from about 628 to 695 AD. It is said that he was only 23 when he ascended the throne, which was only 16 days after the death of his predecessor.

Little is known about the early part of his reign. Still, archaeologists credit him with building six impressive stone reliefs scattered throughout the Copán Valley. In addition, he also built a new temple and several other structures in the area.

Chan Imix K’awaiil’s reign lasted 67 years and he died at the age of 90. This was an incredible feat even then, and he was honored for reaching this age on the altar in one of the temples in Copán.^[5]

5 Rama IX

As Rama IX, Bhumibol Adulyadej was the ninth king in Thailand’s Chakkri dynasty and was actually the country’s longest-reigning monarch. He ascended the throne in 1946 after the mysterious death of his uncle.

Despite being King of Thailand, Rama IX took the throne after Thailand had already abolished formal monarchy. As a result, he served more as a figurehead than as someone with any real political power.

Still, the king was immensely popular and spent much of his time performing at public parties and endorsing political figures. In 2009, the king contracted pneumonia and his health began to visibly deteriorate. He named his son, Crown Prince Vajiralongkorn, his heir and successor to the throne.

Rama IX passed away quite recently, in 2016. He lived until he was 88 years old, making him one of the longest reigning monarchs in his lifetime.^[6]

4 John II

Johann II was born on October 5, 1840 and was often referred to as Johann the Good. He was the son of Aloys II, Prince of Liechtenstein, and ascended the throne when he was 18 years old. Despite being the king, he installed his mother as an aid to help him run the country until 1860.

During his reign, Johann II created Liechtenstein’s first constitution. He later reformed it after World War I. This constitution is still in effect, although it has undergone several major revisions since its inception.

In addition to creating Liechtenstein’s first constitution, Johann II devoted himself to strengthening ties with nearby Switzerland. He even adopted the Swiss franc as the country’s national currency during the second half of his rule.

He died in 1929 when he was 88 years old. In all, he ruled Liechtenstein for 70 years, making him one of the longest-reigning European monarchs in history.^[7]

3 Francis Joseph I

Franz Joseph I was the son of Archduke Francis Charles and was born in Vienna on August 18, 1830. It was actually his uncle who was the Emperor of Austria and not his father. However, as his uncle had no children, Franz Joseph I was named heir.

Interestingly, Franz Joseph I became emperor not after his uncle’s death but after his abdication. On December 2, 1848, at just 18 years old, Franz Joseph was proclaimed Emperor of Austria.

As a fairly young monarch, he inspired hope in the citizens, and many Austrians felt that his youth showed that he could be a promising leader. Despite this, Franz Joseph I led a reign of neo-absolutism until 1859. During the latter part of his reign, the monarch calmed down and became a respected and respected man.

Franz Joseph I died in 1916 at the age of 86. His rule in Austria lasted about 68 years and ended when he led the country into World War I.^[8]

2 K’inich Janaab’ Pakal I

K’inich Janaab’ Pakal I was the Mayan king in Palenque, in present-day Mexico. Often referred to as Pascal the Great, he was responsible for helping Palenque rise to power as a city.

K’inich Janaab’ Pakal I technically should have become king in AD 611 when the reigning king passed away. However, he was only about eight years old at the time and was considered too young to rule. However, he did not have to wait long to ascend the throne, as four years later, in 615, K’inich Janaab’ Pakal I was crowned king.

When K’inich Janaab’ Pakal I ascended to the throne, Palenque was a medium-sized city. However, under the reign of the new king, the city grew into a huge metropolis and many of the ruins are still buried in the jungle.

In 683, the Mayan king died at the age of 80. This meant that he had reigned for a total of some 68 years.^[9]

1 Louis XIV

Louis XIV was the son of Anna of Austria and Louis XIII. He was born on September 5, 1638 in France and ascended the throne when he was only four years old!

Due to the king’s young age, he was largely neglected, leaving his mother to rule the kingdom until he could manage it well on his own. Even worse, when the king was only nine years old, a revolt by the Parisian nobility led Louis to further misfortunes, poverty and humiliation. Many of these experiences eventually shaped the personality of poor King Louis XIV later in life.

When the king was in his early twenties, he completely took over the throne as a powerful ruler. Despite this, he was a beloved king, known as the Sun King, and revered as an idol. He continued to rule France until his death in 1715 at the ripe old age of 76. That meant he was at court for a whopping 72 years!^[10]