List of heads of state 1788

Great Britain and Ireland
- Head of State: King George III. (1760–1801) (1801–1820 King of the United Kingdom, 1760–1806 Elector of Braunschweig-Lüneburg, 1814–1820 King of Hanover)
- Head of Government: Prime Minister William Pitt the Younger (1783–1801, 1804–1806 )

Holy Roman Empire
- King and Emperor : Joseph II. (1765–1790) (1780–1790 King of Bohemia, 1780–1790 Duke of Milan, 1780–1790 Duke of Mantua, 1780–1790 Archduke of Austria, 1780–1790 King of Hungary)
- Electoral College
  - Archbishopric of Cologne
    - Elector : Maximilian Franz of Austria (1784–1801) (1784–1801 Bishop of Münster, 1780–1801 Grand Master of the Teutonic Order)
  - Archbishopric Mainz
    - Elector : Friedrich Karl Joseph von Erthal (1774–1802) (1774–1802 Bishop of Worms)
  - Archbishopric Trier
    - Elector : Clemens Wenzeslaus of Saxony (1768–1801) (1768–1803 Bishop of Augsburg, 1763–1768 Bishop of Freising, 1763–1768 Bishop of Regensburg, 1787–1802 Provost of Ellwangen, 1768–1794 Abbot of Prüm)
  - Bavaria and Palatinate
    - Elector : Karl Theodor (1777–1799) (1742–17 Elector of the Palatinate, 1742–1799 Duke of Jülich and Berg)
  - Kingdom of Bohemia
    - King : Joseph II. (1780–1790) (1765–1790 Emperor, 1780–1790 Duke of Milan, 1780–1790 Duke of Mantua, 1780–1790 Archduke of Austria, 1780–1790 King of Hungary)
  - Margraviate of Brandenburg
    - Elector : Friedrich Wilhelm II. (1786–1797) (1786–1797 King of Prussia)
  - Duchy of Brunswick-Lueneburg
    - Elector : George III. (1760–1803) (1760–1801 King of Great Britain and Ireland, 1801–1820 King of the United Kingdom, 1814–1820 King of Hanover)
  - Duchy of Saxony
    - Elector : Friedrich August I (1763–1806) (1806–1827 King of Saxony)
- spiritual imperial princes
  - Hochstift Augsburg
    - Bishop : Clemens Wenzeslaus of Saxony (1768–1803) (1768–1801 Archbishop of Trier, 1763–1768 Bishop of Freising, 1763–1768 Bishop of Regensburg, 1787–1802 Provost of Ellwangen, 1768–1794 Abbot of Prüm)
  - Bamberg Monastery
    - Bishop : Franz Ludwig von Erthal (1779–1795) (1779–1795 Bishop of Würzburg)
  - Hochstift Basel
    - Bishop : Sigismund von Roggenbach (1782–1794)
  - Prince Provost Berchtesgaden
    - Provost : Joseph Konrad von Schroffenberg-Mös (1780–1803) (1789–1802 / 03 Bishop of Freising, 1790–1802 / 03 Bishop of Regensburg)
  - Brixen monastery
    - Bishop : Joseph von Spaur (1779–1791)
  - Hochstift Chur (territory 1648 federal, bishop imperial class without immediate land)
    - Bishop : Franz Dionys von Rost (1777–1793)
  - Corvey Abbey
    - Abbot : Johann Karl Theodor von Brabeck (1776–1794) (from 1792 bishop)
  - Balleien of the Teutonic Order
    - Grand Master : Maximilian Franz of Austria (1780–1801) (1784–1801 Archbishop of Cologne, 1784–1801 Bishop of Münster)
  - Eichstätt Monastery
    - Bishop : Johann Anton III. von Zehmen (1781–1790)
  - Prince Provost Ellwangen
    - Provost : Clemens Wenzeslaus of Saxony (1787–1802) (1768–1801 Archbishop of Trier, 1763–1768 Bishop of Freising, 1763–1768 Bishop of Regensburg, 1768–1794 Abbot of Prüm)
  - Hochstift Freising
    - Bishop : Ludwig Joseph von Welden (1768–1788)
    - Bishop: Maximilian Prokop von Toerring-Jettenbach (1788–1789) (1787–1789 Bishop of Regensburg)
  - Fulda Abbey
    - Bishop : Heinrich von Bibra (1759–1788)
  - Hildesheim Monastery
    - Bishop : Friedrich Wilhelm von Westphalen (1763–1789) (1782–1789 Bishop of Paderborn)
  - Prince Abbey of Kempten
    - Abbot : Rupert II von Neuenstein (1785–1793)
  - Constance monastery
    - Bishop : Maximilian Christoph von Rodt (1775–1799)
  - Hochstift Lübeck (1555–1803 Protestant administrators)
    - Bishop : Peter Friedrich Ludwig von Oldenburg (1785–1803) (1785–1823 Regent of Oldenburg, 1823–1829 Duke of Oldenburg)
  - Liège Monastery
    - Bishop : Caesar Constantin Franz von Hoensbroech (1784–1792)
  - Monastery of Münster
    - Bishop : Maximilian Franz of Austria (1784–1801) (1784–1801 Archbishop of Cologne, 1780–1801 Grand Master of the Teutonic Order)
  - Hochstift Osnabrück (1662–1802 alternating between Catholic and Lutheran bishops)
    - Bishop : Friedrich August von Hannover and Albany (1764–1802)
  - Paderborn Monastery
    - Bishop : Friedrich Wilhelm von Westphalen (1782–1789) (1763–1789 Bishop of Hildesheim)
  - Passau bishopric
    - Bishop : Joseph Franz Anton von Auersperg (1783–1795)
  - Regensburg Monastery
    - Bishop : Maximilian Prokop von Toerring-Jettenbach (1787–1789) (1788–1789 Bishop of Freising)
  - Archbishopric Salzburg
    - Archbishop : Hieronymus von Colloredo (1772–1803)
  - Speyer Monastery
    - Bishop : August of Limburg-Stirum (1770–1797)
  - Stablo-Malmedy Abbey
    - Abbot : Célestin Thys (1786–1794)
  - Strasbourg Monastery
    - Bishop : Louis René Édouard de Rohan-Guéméné (1779–1803)
  - Hochstift Trento
    - Bishop : Peter Michael Vigil von Thun and Hohenstein (1776–1800)
  - Hochstift Worms
    - Bishop : Friedrich Karl Joseph von Erthal (1774–1802) (1774–1802 Archbishop of Mainz)
  - Würzburg Monastery
    - Bishop : Franz Ludwig von Erthal (1779–1795) (1779–1795 Bishop of Bamberg)
- secular imperial princes
  - Principality of Anhalt
    - Anhalt-Bernburg
      - Prince : Friedrich Albrecht (1765–1796)
    - Principality of Anhalt-Dessau
      - Prince : Leopold III. Friedrich Franz (1751–1817) (1751–1758 under guardianship) (from 1807 duke)
    - Principality of Anhalt-Köthen
      - Prince : Karl Georg Lebrecht (1755–1789)
    - Anhalt-Zerbst
      - Prince : Friedrich August (1747–1793) (1747–1752 under guardianship)
  - Arenberg
    - Duke : Ludwig Engelbert (1778–1803)
  - Margraviate of Baden
    - Margrave : Karl Friedrich (1771–1803) (1738–1746 under guardianship) (1738–1771 Margrave of Baden-Durlach, 1803–1806 Elector of Baden, 1806–1811 Grand Duke of Baden)
  - Brandenburg-Ansbach
    - Margrave : Karl Alexander (1757–1791) (1769–1791 Margrave of Brandenburg-Bayreuth)
  - Brandenburg-Bayreuth
    - Margrave : Karl Alexander (1769–1791) (1757–1791 Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach)
  - Braunschweig-Wolfenbüttel
    - Duke : Karl Wilhelm Ferdinand (1780–1806)
  - Hessen-Darmstadt
    - Landgrave : Ludwig IX. (1768–1790)
  - Hessen-Kassel
    - Landgrave : Wilhelm IX. (1785–1806, 1814–1821) (elector from 1803)
  - Hohenzollern-Hechingen
    - Prince : Josef Friedrich Wilhelm (1750–1798)
  - Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen
    - Prince : Anton Aloys (1785–1831)
  - Jülich and Berg
    - Duke : Karl Theodor (1742–1799) (1777–1799 Elector of Bavaria, 1742–1799 Elector of the Palatinate, 1742–1799 Duke of Palatinate-Neuburg)
  - Liechtenstein
    - Prince : Alois I (1781–1805)
  - Mecklenburg
    - Mecklenburg-Schwerin
      - Duke : Friedrich Franz I (1785–1837) (Grand Duke from 1815)
    - Mecklenburg-Strelitz
      - Duke : Adolf Friedrich IV. (1752–1794)
  - Nassau
    - Ottonian line
      - Nassau-Diez
        Prince : Wilhelm V (1751–1806) (1751–1796 governor of the Netherlands)
    - Walramic line
      - Nassau-Saarbrücken
        Prince : Ludwig (1768–1793 / 94)
      - Nassau-Usingen
        Prince : Karl Wilhelm (1775–1803)
      - Nassau-Weilburg
        
        Prince : Karl Christian (1753–1788)
        
        Prince: Friedrich Wilhelm (1788–1816) (from 1806 in the Duchy of Nassau)
  - Oldenburg
    - Duke : Peter Friedrich Wilhelm (1785–1823) (under regency)
    - Regent: Peter Friedrich Ludwig von Oldenburg (1785–1823) (1785–1803 Bishop of Lübeck, 1823–1829 Duke of Oldenburg)
  - Austria
    - Archduke : Joseph II (1780–1790) (1765–1790 Emperor, 1780–1790 King of Bohemia, 1780–1790 Duke of Milan, 1780–1790 Duke of Mantua, 1780–1790 King of Hungary)
  - Pfalz-Neuburg
    - Duke : Karl Theodor (1742–1799) (1742–1777 Elector Palatinate, 1777–1799 Elector Palatinate-Bavaria, 1733–1799 Duke of Palatinate-Sulzbach, 1742–1794 / 99 Duke of Jülich and Berg)
  - Pfalz-Sulzbach
    - Duke : Karl Theodor (1733–1799) (1742–1777 Elector Palatinate, 1777–1799 Elector Palatinate-Bavaria, 1742–1799 Duke of Palatinate-Neuburg, 1742–1794 / 99 Duke of Jülich and Berg)
  - Pfalz-Zweibrücken-Birkenfeld
    - Duke : Charles II August (1775–1795)
  - Reuss older line
    - Count : Heinrich XI. (1778–1800) (1723–1768 Count of Reuss-Obergreiz, 1768–1778 Count of Reuss-Greiz)
  - Duchy of Saxony
    - Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld
      - Duke : Ernst Friedrich (1764–1800)
    - Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg
      - Duke : Ernst II (1772–1804)
    - Saxony-Hildburghausen
      - Duke : Friedrich (1780–1826) (1826–1834 Duke of Saxony-Altenburg)
    - Saxony-Meiningen
      - Duke : Georg I (Sachsen-Meiningen) (1763–1803) (1763–1782 under guardianship)
    - Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach
      - Duke : Karl August (1758–1828) (1758–1775 under guardianship, 1815–1828 Grand Duke)
  - Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt
    - Prince : Ludwig Günther II. (1767–1790)
  - Schwarzburg-Sondershausen
    - Prince : Christian Günther III. (1758–1794)
  - Waldeck-Pyrmont
    - Prince : Friedrich Karl August (1763–1805) (1805–1812 Prince of Waldeck)
  - Württemberg
    - Duke : Karl Eugen (1737–1793)
- other imperial estates (selection)
  - Lippe-Detmold
    - Count : Leopold I (1782–1802) (1782–1789, 1790–1794 under guardianship, from 1789 prince)
    - Regent: Ludwig Heinrich Adolf zur Lippe (1782–1789, 1790–1794 )
  - Ortenburg
    - Count : Joseph Carl Leopold Friedrich Ludwig (1787–1805) (1787–1801 under guardianship)
    - Regent: Christiane Louise zum Stein (1787–1801)
    - Regent: Ludwig Emanuel von Ortenburg (1787–1798)
  - Reuss
    - Reuss younger line
      - Reuss-Ebersdorf
        Count : Heinrich LI. (1779–1822) (from 1806 Prince)
      - Reuss-Gera
        Count : Heinrich XXX. (1748–1802)
      - Reuss-Lobenstein
        Count : Heinrich XXXV. (1782–1805) (from 1790 Prince)
      - Reuss-Schleiz
        Count : Heinrich XLII. (1784-1818) (from 1806 Prince)
  - Schaumburg-Lippe
    - Count : Georg Wilhelm (1787–1860) (1787–1807 under guardianship, from 1807 prince)
    - Regent: Juliane von Hessen-Philippsthal (1787–1799)
    - Regent: Johann Ludwig von Wallmoden-Gimborn (1787–1807)

Italian states
- Genoa
  - Doge : Raffaele Agostino De Ferrari (1787–1789)
- Papal States
  - Pope : Pius VI. (1775–1799)
- Milan (1706–1800 to Austria)
  - Duke : Emperor Joseph II (1780–1790) (1765–1790 Emperor, 1780–1790 King of Bohemia, 1780–1790 Duke of Mantua, 1780–1790 Archduke of Austria, 1780–1790 King of Hungary)
    - Governor : Ferdinand Karl von Österreich-Este (1771–1796)
- Massa and Carrara
  - Duchess : Maria Teresa Cybo-Malaspina (1731–1790) (until 1744 under guardianship)
- Modena and Reggio
  - Duke : Ercole III. d'Este (1780–1796)
- Naples (1735–1806 personal union with Sicily)
  - King : Ferdinand I (1759–1799, 1799–1806, 1815–1816 ) (King of Sicily 1759–1816, King of both Sicilies 1816–1825)
- Parma and Piacenza
  - Duke : Ferdinand (1765–1802)
- Piombino
  - Prince : Antonio Boncompagni Ludovisi (1777–1801)
- Sardinia (personal union with Savoy)
  - King : Viktor Amadeus III. (1773–1796) (1773–1796 Duke of Savoy)
    - Viceroy : Carlo Francesco Thaon (1787–1790)
- Savoy (personal union with Sardinia)
  - Duke : Viktor Amadeus III. (1773–1796) (1773–1796 King of Sardinia)
- Sicily (1735–1806 in personal union with Naples)
  - King : Ferdinand III. (1759–1816) (1759–1799, 1799–1806, 1815–1816 King of Naples, 1816–1825 King of the Two Sicilies)
    - Viceroy : Francesco d'Aquino (1786–1795)
- Tuscany
  - Grand Duke : Leopold I (1765–1790) (1790–1792 Emperor, 1790–1792 King of Bohemia, 1790–1792 Duke of Milan, 1790–1792 Archduke of Austria, 1790–1792 King of Hungary)
- Venice
  - Doge : Paolo Renier (1779–1789)

Courland
- Duke : Peter von Biron (1769–1795)

Malta
- Grand Master : Emmanuel de Rohan-Polduc (1775–1797)

Moldova (under Ottoman rule)
- Prince : Alexander Ypsilantis (Dragoman) (1786–1788) (1774–1782, 1796–1797 Prince of Wallachia)
- Prince: Emanuel Giani Ruset (1788–1789) (1770–1771 Prince of Wallachia)
- occupied by Austria (1787–1791)

Monaco
- Prince : Honoré III. (1732–1793)

Montenegro (under Ottoman suzerainty)
- Prince-Bishop (Vladika) : Petar I. Petrović-Njegoš (1782–1830)

Netherlands
- Republic of the Seven United Provinces
  - Inheritance holder : Wilhelm V (1751–1795) (1751–1806 Prince of Nassau-Diez)
- Austrian Netherlands (formally part of the Holy Roman Empire until 1714/95)
  - Governor : Albert Casimir von Sachsen-Teschen (1781–1793)

Ottoman Empire
- Sultan : Abdülhamid I (1774–1789)

Poland
- King : Stanislaus II August Poniatowski (1764–1795)

Portugal
- Queen : Maria I (1777–1816) (1815–1816 Queen of Brazil)

Prussia
- King : Friedrich Wilhelm II. (1786–1797) (1786–1797 Elector of Brandenburg)

Russia
- Empress : Catherine II (1762–1796)

Sweden
- King : Gustav III. (1771–1792)

Spain
- King : Charles III. (1759–1788) (1735–1759 King of Naples, 1731–1735 Duke of Parma, 1735–1759 King of Sicily)
- King: Charles IV (1788–1808)

Hungary
- King : Joseph II. (1780–1790) (1765–1790 Emperor, 1780–1790 King of Bohemia, 1780–1790 Duke of Milan, 1780–1790 Duke of Mantua, 1780–1790 Archduke of Austria)

Wallachia (under Ottoman rule)
- Prince : Nicolae Mavrogheni (1786–1790)