Which monarchs reigned for 60 years

He ascended to the throne quite by chance, after his elder brother, King Ananda Mahidol, died suddenly. He was studying in Switzerland at the time, switching his major to law and political science to better prepare himself for life as a world leader. He met his future wife, Sirikit, while there, with the two having a quiet wedding ceremony just days before his coronation.

Reign: 12 November — 11 February Despite this, he was considered to be a patron of the arts, and did much to add to the Liechtenstein Princely Collections during his reign.

Reign: 6 February - present day. Currently 69 years, 79 days at time of publication Another monarch who was never supposed to ascend to the throne, Queen Elizabeth II was third in line at the time of her birth, being the eldest daughter of Prince Albert, Duke of York, who himself was the younger brother of the future King Edward VIII.

However, following the abdication of her uncle, she became heir to the throne. The death of her father King George VI at the relatively young age of 56 meant that she became Queen when she was just Throughout her long reign she has witnessed great societal changes yet has remained extremely popular to this day. Reign: 2 December - 21 November His own life was a succession of personal tragedies, the most famous of which was the assassination of his nephew and heir-presumptive, Archduke Franz Ferdinand, whose death led to the First World War.

This forced Adulyadej to halt his studies temporarily to return to Thailand. Adulyadej has reigned for 69 years so far, mantaining his position despite several military coups.

He remains an influential leader, despite multiple health problems. Dom Pedro II — known as the "magnanimous" ruler — reigned Brazil for more than 58 years as emperor from the age of five.

During his reign, Brazil enjoyed technological advances such as its first telephone and the economy thrived. Brazil became a Republic after Pedro II was overthrown and went into exile with his family. He acknowledged the change as a "natural evolution," according to The Library of Congress.

Hirohito reigned for over 62 years as a "symbol of the State," providing stability and working with foreign ambassadors and heads of states. He studied marine biology after World War II. His son, Akihito, ascended the throne after his father passed in January and currently acts as Japan's th emperor.

Before , China was ruled by a number of dynasties, the last of which was the Qing dynasty. Kangxi was dedicated to stabilizing the Chinese empire, while promoting art and culture.

Llywelyn II of Gwynedd or , years. Coming soon: Interesting numbers. Send your suggestions, and ideas for future Top 10s, to top10 independent. Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies.

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