List of state leaders in 872

871 state leaders - Events of 872 - 873 state leaders - State leaders by year----

Africa

*Algeria - Muhammad Abul-Yaqzan, Rustamid Emir (871-894)
*Egypt - Ahmad ibn Tulun, Tulunid Emir of Egypt (868-884)
*Ifriqiya - Muhammad II, Aghlabid Emir of Ifriqiya (864-875)
*Morocco Yahya ibn Yahya, known as "Yahya II", Idrisid Caliph of Morocco (864-874)
*Nekor - Said II ibn Salih, Salihid Emir of Nekor (c.864-c.916)
*Tamesna - Yunus, Tarifid King of the Berghouata (842-888)

Asia

*Bohai/Balhae - Da Xuanxi/Dae Hyeon-seok, King of Bohai/Balhae (871-895)
*Byzantine Empire - Basil I the Macedonian (Βασίλειος Α'), Byzantine Emperor (867 - 886)
*China (Tang Dynasty) - Yizong, Emperor of Tang China (859-873)
*Gurjara - Mihira Bhoja I, Pratihara King of Gurjara (c. 836-886)
*Japan - Emperor Seiwa, Emperor of Japan (858-876)
*Silla - Gyeongmun, King of Silla (861-875)

Europe

*al-Andalus - Muhammad I, Umayyad Emir of Córdoba (852-886)
*Aragón - Aznar II Galíndez, Count of Aragón (867–893)
*Asturias - Alfonso III the Great, King of Asturias (866-910)
*Auvergne - Bernard II, Count of Auvergne (864-886)
*Auxerre - Conrad I, Count of Auxerre (853-876)
*Brittany - Gurvand, Duke of Brittany (874-877)
*Bulgaria - Boris I, Knyaz of Bulgaria, (852–889)
*Byzantine Empire - Basil I the Macedonian (Βασίλειος Α'), Byzantine Emperor (867 - 886)
*Danelaw - Guthrum, King of the Danelaw (854–890)
**East Anglia¹ - Oswald, King of East Anglia (870–876)
**Northumbria¹ -
**#Ecgberht I, King of Northumbria (867–872)
**#Ricsige, King of Northumbria (872–876)
*Eastern Francia - Louis the German, King of Eastern Francia (817-876)
*Friesland - Rorik, King of the Danish Vikings in Friesland (850-880)
*Gascony - Sancho I Mitarra, King of Gascony (872-?²)
*Great Moravia - Svatopluk I, King of Great Moravia (871–894)
*Holy Roman Empire - Louis II, Holy Roman Emperor (855-877)
*Ireland - Aed Finliath, High King of Ireland (861-876)
*Italy - Louis II, Holy Roman Emperor, King of Italy (844-875))
*León - Alfonso III of Leon, King of León (838-910)
*Navarre - Garcia Iñiguez, King of Navarre (851–880)
*Norway - Harald I Fairhair, King of Norway (872-930)
*Papal States
**Adrian II, Pope (867-872)
**John VIII, Pope (872-882)
*Poitiers - Ranulf II, Count of Poitiers (866-890)
*Scotland - Constantine I, King of Scots and Picts (862-877)
*Strathclyde - Rhun f Arthgal, King of Strathclyde (871-878)
*Venice - Orso I Participazio, Doge of Venice (864-881)
*Wales - Rhodri "Mawr" ap Merfyn, King of Gwynedd (844-878)
*Wessex - Alfred the Great, King of Wessex (871-899)
*Western Francia - Charles the Bald, King of Western Francia (843-877)

Middle East

*Abbasid Caliphate - Al-Mu'tamid, Caliph (870-892)
*Byzantine Empire - Basil I the Macedonian (Βασίλειος Α'), Byzantine Emperor (867 - 886)

Notes

#Both East Anglia and Northumbria had been conquered by Danelaw in the late 860s. Both were neither autonomous or independent.
#Date of the end of Sancho I's reign is uncertain. Sancho II may have been monarch by 875.