History is filled with rulers whose reigns lasted long after their welcome. Yet, the saga of the 10 shortest reigning figures proves that power can be as fleeting as a summer storm. Below we count down the briefest tenures ever recorded, each cut short by intrigue, war, or outright murder.
10 Shortest Reigning Leaders
10 Tsar Peter III Of Russia
Peter III occupied the Russian throne for a mere 185 days, from 5 January to 9 July 1762, earning a reputation as an unpopular czar who scarcely mastered the Russian language and championed a series of pro‑Prussian reforms.
His German‑born consort, Princess Sophie, orchestrated a coup that dethroned him, and their marriage was famously loveless and unconsummated, making the dramatic break seem almost a mercy compared to their actual situation.
After the coup, Peter was confined to Ropsha Castle, where a group of men loyal to Gregory Orlov—who coveted the empress—slain him, clearing the way for Catherine the Great to remarry, as a living husband would have legally barred her.
9 Isaac II Angelos Of The Byzantine Empire
Emperor Isaac ruled the Byzantine Empire twice, but his second stint lasted only 179 days—from 1 August 1203 until roughly 27 January 1204—after being restored by the Fourth Crusade.
Initially, his brother Alexios III seized the throne, blinding and imprisoning Isaac. He languished for eight years before crusaders freed him, only to be reinstated as a vassal alongside his son Alexios IV.
Failure to meet crusader demands led to his second deposition by a son‑in‑law of Alexios III; he and his son were imprisoned again, and Isaac likely died of shock when his son was strangled.
8 Emperor Yuan Shikai Of The Empire Of China
Following the 1912 abdication of the last Qing emperor, general Yuan Shikai declared himself emperor of a revived Chinese Empire, serving as the second Provisional Great President of the Republic.
His ambition to restore a monarchy met fierce opposition; accession ceremonies were postponed, defunded, and finally scrapped, resulting in an empire that lasted only about three months—from 12 December 1915 to 22 March 1916.
Shikai reverted to the presidency before dying shortly thereafter, becoming perhaps the only figure to serve as both president and emperor of the same nation.
7 Emperor Pertinax Of Rome
Publius Helvius Pertinax ruled the Roman Empire for 86 days, from 1 January to 28 March 193, during the chaotic “Year of the Five Emperors.” He succeeded the assassinated Commodus, whose portrayal in the 2000 film Gladiator is famously inaccurate.
Pertinax attempted reforms—freeing prisoners and easing agricultural restrictions—but his move to restructure the Praetorian Guard angered the very soldiers who had killed his predecessor.
Incensed, the Guard stormed the palace, beat him to death, and displayed his severed head on a lance in a grisly triumphal march.
6 King Frederick Charles Of Finland
From 9 October to 14 December 1918—just 66 days—Frederick Charles Louis Constantine of Hesse was elected king of Finland, only to renounce the throne amid post‑World War I anti‑German sentiment.
Although he never set foot in Finland, his brief reign coincided with the abdication of Germany’s Kaiser Wilhelm II, prompting Frederick to abandon his claim and return the crown to the Finnish people.
The Finnish kingdom dissolved after two years, giving way to a republican constitution in 1919; Frederick remains the sole monarch the short‑lived realm ever knew.
5 Emperor Didius Julianus Of Rome
After Pertinax’s murder, the Praetorian Guard auctioned the empire to the highest bidder; Didius Julianus won by promising each guard 25,000 sesterces—a staggering 200 million sesterces, roughly 50 million denarii.
Given that an average soldier earned about one denarius per day, the Senate reluctantly proclaimed Julianus emperor, but his reign lasted a mere 65 days before he was overthrown and executed on 1 June 193.
His brief, bought‑out reign stands as a cautionary tale of military greed and political desperation.
4 Pope Urban VII
Pope Urban VII held the papacy for only 12 days, from 15 September to 27 September 1590, making him the shortest‑reigning pope after the Vatican struck Stephen II from the official list.
His tenure ended when he succumbed to malaria, but he left a quirky legacy: the first ruler to ban smoking and tobacco in churches, threatening excommunication to anyone who used tobacco inside or on church porches.
The prohibition was driven not by health concerns but by Urban’s personal distaste for tobacco’s presence in sacred spaces.
3 Emperor Duc Duc Of Vietnam
Emperor Duc Duc ruled Vietnam for a shocking three days in July 1883 before being poisoned by the court that had placed him on the throne.
His coronation was marred by blatant debauchery that violated mourning customs for his recently deceased father, prompting the court to deem his behavior unacceptable.
Although some scholars argue political motives were at play, the official story holds that his excesses led to his swift execution, leaving a decade of turmoil before his son restored stability.
2 Emperor Mo Of China
Emperor Mo of Jin, also known as Wanyan Chenglin, reigned for a mere two hours on 9 February 1234 before meeting his death in battle against the Mongols.
He accepted the throne after his predecessor, Emperor Aizong, urged him to lead the defense of Caizhou; soon after, the city’s walls were breached, and Aizong committed suicide to avoid capture.
Chenglin rallied troops valiantly but fell in combat, marking the end of the Jin dynasty and ushering in Mongol Yuan rule over northern China.
1 King Louis XIX Of France
On 2 August 1830, Louis Antoine technically became king of France for just 20 minutes before signing an abdication, a brief interlude triggered by his father Charles X’s resignation during the July Revolution.
While contemplating the decision, Louis listened to his wife’s pleas to retain the crown despite the monarchy’s unpopularity; ultimately, he acquiesced and signed the abdication papers.
Although he never truly exercised power, some loyalists rejected his abdication’s legality, continuing to regard both Charles X and Louis XIX as the legitimate monarchs until their deaths.