# Lijst van rectores magnifici van de Universiteit Leiden

Dit is een lijst van de rectores magnifici van de Universiteit Leiden. Onder de Leidse rectoren zijn drie Nobelprijswinnaars (Lorentz, Kamerlingh Onnes en Einthoven), beroemde medici als Boerhaave en Albinus, diverse ministers (Johannes van der Palm en Julius Christiaan van Oven), een minister-president (Thorbecke) en geleerden als Fruin, Snouck Hurgronje en Huizinga. De huidige rector magnificus is Hester Bijl, aangetreden op 8 februari 2021; zij is tevens de eerste vrouwelijke rector magnificus in de geschiedenis van de universiteit.
Het hoge aantal Leidse rectoren komt deels door de lange historie van de Leidse universiteit (meer dan vier eeuwen), maar anderzijds ook door de gewoonte van een eenjarig rectoraat. Praktisch tot ca. 1970 werd de Leidse rector door zijn collega-hoogleraren voor de duur van één jaar gekozen als primus inter pares (en in sommige tijden simpelweg als oudste in leeftijd). De afschaffing van de gewoonte van een eenjarig rectoraat gaat (rond 1970) samen met de professionalisering en bureaucratisering van westerse universiteiten. Van 2005 tot 2021 was de rector magnificus tevens voorzitter van het college van bestuur van de universiteit. Bij het emeritaat van Carel Stolker in 2021 werden de functies weer gesplitst, omdat het vanwege de toegenomen werkdruk niet meer mogelijk was ze te combineren.

## 16e eeuw
### 1575–1600

| Ambtsperiode | Naam | Termijn/overig |
| 1575–1576 | Peter Tiara | |
| 1576–1577 | Guilliaume Feuguiéres | |
| 1577–1578 | Peter Tiara | (2) |
| 1578–1579 | Peter Tiara | (3) |
| 1579–1580 | Justus Lipsius | |
| 1580–1581 | Justus Lipsius | (2) |
| 1581–1582 | Cornelis de Groot | |
| 1582–1583 | Gerard Bontius | |
| 1583–1584 | Johannes Heurnius | |
| 1584–1585 | Johannes Heurnius | (2) |
| 1585–1586 | Adrianus Saravia | |
| 1586–1587 | Adrianus Saravia | (2) |
| 1587–1588 | Justus Lipsius | (3) |
| 1588–1589 | Justus Lipsius | (4) |
| 1589–1590 | Julius van Beyma | |
| 1590–1591 | Julius van Beyma | (2) |
| 1591–1592 | Thomas Sosius | ook: Thomas Zoesius of Thomas van Soest |
| 1592–1593 | Johannes Heurnius | (3) |
| 1593–1594 | Johannes Heurnius | (4) |
| 1594–1595 | Cornelis de Groot | |
| 1595–1596 | Cornelis de Groot | |
| 1596–1597 | Cornelis de Groot | |
| 1597–1598 | Franciscus Gomarus | |
| 1598–1599 | Franciscus Gomarus | (2) |
| 1599 | Gerard Bontius | (2) |
| 1599–1600 | Johannes Heurnius | (5) |
| 1600–1601 | Johannes Heurnius | (6) |

## 17e eeuw
### 1601–1620

| Ambtsperiode | Naam | Overig |
| 1601–1602 | Pieter Pauw | (1) |
| 1602–1603 | Paulus Merula | |
| 1603–1604 | Cornelis de Groot | (5) |
| 1604–1605 | Everard van Bronkhorst | |
| 1605–1606 | Jacobus Arminius | |
| 1606–1607 | Pieter Pauw | (2) |
| 1607–1608 | Rudolph Snellius | |
| 1608–1609 | Cornelis de Groot | (6) |
| 1609–1610 | Aelius Everhardus Vorstius | |
| 1610–1611 | Rudolph Snellius | (2) |
| 1611–1612 | Rudolph Snellius | (3) |
| 1612–1613 | Aelius Everhardus Vorstius | (2) |
| 1613–1614 | Johannes Polyander van Kerckhoven | (1) |
| 1614–1615 | Pieter Pauw | (3) |
| 1615–1616 | Cornelius Paulinus Swanenburg | |
| 1616–1617 | Wilhelm Coddaeus | |
| 1617–1618 | Johannes Polyander a Kerckhoven | (2) |
| 1618–1619 | Johannes Polyander a Kerckhoven | (3) |
| 1619–1620 | Reiner Bontius | |
| 1620–1621 | Reiner Bontius | (2) |

### 1621–1640

| Ambtsperiode | Naam | Overig |
| 1621–1622 | Aelius Everhardus Vorstius | (3) |
| 1622–1623 | Aelius Everhardus Vorstius | (4) |
| 1623–1624 | Petrus Cunaeus | |
| 1624–1625 | Petrus Cunaeus | (2) |
| 1625–1626 | Antonius Walaeus | |
| 1626–1627 | Antonius Walaeus | (2) |
| 1627–1628 | Johannes Polyander a Kerckhoven | (4) |
| 1628–1629 | Johannes Polyander a Kerckhoven | (5) |
| 1629–1630 | Franco Petri Burgersdijk | |
| 1630–1631 | Franco Petri Burgersdijk | (2) |
| 1631–1632 | Ewaldus Schrevelius | |
| 1632–1633 | Petrus Cunaeus | (3) |
| 1633–1634 | Antonius Thysius de Oudere | |
| 1634–1635 | Franco Petri Burgersdijk | (3) |
| 1635–1636 | Johannes Polyander a Kerckhoven | (6) |
| 1636–1637 | Adolphus Vorstius | |
| 1637–1638 | Petrus Cunaeus | (4) |
| 1638–1639 | Constantinus l'Empereur van Opwijck | |
| 1639 | Antonius Walaeus | (3) + |
| 1639–1640 | Nicolaus Dedel | |
| 1640–1641 | Johannes Polyander a Kerckhoven | (7) |

### 1641–1660

| Ambtsperiode | Naam | Overig |
| 1641–1642 | Otto Heurnius | |
| 1642–1643 | Jacobus Golius | |
| 1643–1644 | Jacobus Trigland | |
| 1644–1645 | Bernardus Schotanus | |
| 1645–1646 | Johannes Polyander a Kerckhoven | (8) |
| 1646–1647 | Ewaldus Schrevelius | (2) |
| 1647–1648 | Friedrich Spanheim sr. | |
| 1648–1649 | Otto Heurnius | (2) |
| 1649–1650 | Arnold Vinnius | |
| 1650–1651 | Jacobus Trigland | (2) |
| 1651–1652 | Jacobus Golius | (2) |
| 1652–1653 | Adolphus Vorstius | (2) |
| 1653–1654 | Jacobus Maestertius | |
| 1654–1655 | Abrahamus Heidanus | |
| 1655 | Albertus Kyperus | + |
| 1655–1656 | Johannes Antonides van der Linden | |
| 1656–1657 | Jacobus Golius | (3) |
| 1657 | Arnold Vinnius | (2) + |
| 1657–1658 | Adriaan Beeckerts van Thienen | |
| 1658–1659 | Antonius Thysius jr. | |
| 1659–1660 | Johannes Coccejus | |
| 1660–1661 | Adolphus Vorstius | (3) |

### 1661–1680

| Ambtsperiode | Naam | Overig |
| 1661–1662 | Johann Friedrich Gronovius | |
| 1662–1663 | Abrahamus Heidanus | (2) |
| 1663–1664 | Adriaan Beeckerts van Thienen | |
| 1664–1665 | Johannes Hoornbeeck | |
| 1665–1666 | Jacobus Golius | (4) |
| 1666–1667 | Florentius Schuyl | |
| 1667–1668 | Albertus Rusius | |
| 1668–1669 | Johannes Coccejus | (2) |
| 1669–1670 | Franciscus de le Boë Sylvius | |
| 1670–1671 | Johann Friedrich Gronovius | (2) |
| 1671–1672 | Abrahamus Heidanus | (3) |
| 1672–1673 | Albertus Rusius | (2) |
| 1673–1674 | Friedrich Spanheim jr. | (1) |
| 1674–1675 | Arnoldus Seijen | |
| 1675–1676 | Johannes Friedrich Böckelmann | |
| 1676–1677 | Johannes Coccius | |
| 1677–1678 | Etienne le Moine | |
| 1678–1679 | Antonius Matthaeus III | |
| 1679–1680 | Charles Drelincurtius | |
| 1680–1681 | Friedrich Spanheim jr. | (2) |

### 1681–1700

| Ambtsperiode | Naam | Overig |
| 1681–1682 | Johannes Voet | |
| 1682–1683 | Theodorus Rijcke | |
| 1683–1684 | Antonius Hulsius | |
| 1684–1685 | Lucas Schacht | |
| 1685–1686 | Wolferdus Senguerdius | (1) |
| 1686–1687 | Johannes Voet | (2) |
| 1687–1688 | Friedrich Spanheim jr. | (3) |
| 1688–1689 | Charles Drelincurtius | (2) |
| 1689–1690 | Jacobus Trigland jr. | |
| 1690–1691 | Paul Hermann | |
| 1691–1692 | Wolferdus Senguerdius | (2) |
| 1692–1693 | Friedrich Spanheim jr. | (4) |
| 1693–1694 | Philippus Reinhardus Vitriarius | |
| 1694–1695 | Charles Drelincurtius | (3) |
| 1695–1696 | Johannes a Marck | (1) |
| 1696–1697 | Govert Bidloo | |
| 1697–1698 | Burchard de Volder | |
| 1698–1699 | Gerard Noodt | |
| 1699–1700 | Jacobus Trigland jr. | (2) |
| 1700–1701 | Frederick Dekkers | |

## 18e eeuw
### 1701–1720

| Ambtsperiode | Naam | Overig |
| 1701–1702 | Wolferdus Senguerdius | (3) |
| 1702–1703 | Philippus Reinhardus Vitriarius | (2) |
| 1703–1704 | Jacobus Gronovius | (1) |
| 1704–1705 | Salomon van Til | |
| 1705–1706 | Gerard Noodt | (2) |
| 1706–1707 | Jacobus le Mort | |
| 1707–1708 | Jacob Perizonius | |
| 1708–1709 | Franciscus Fabricius | (1) |
| 1709–1710 | Johannes Voet | (3) |
| 1710–1711 | Bernhard Friedrich Albinus | |
| 1711–1712 | Jacobus Gronovius | (2) |
| 1712–1713 | Johannes a Marck | (2) |
| 1713–1714 | Philippus Reinhardus Vitriarius | (3) |
| 1714–1715 | Herman Boerhaave | (1) |
| 1715–1716 | Wolferdus Senguerdius | (4) |
| 1716–1717 | Franciscus Fabricius | (2) |
| 1717–1718 | Antonius Schultingh | |
| 1718–1719 | Johannes Jacobus Rau | |
| 1719–1720 | Petrus Burmannus Senior | (1) |
| 1720–1721 | Tako Hajo van den Honert | (1) |

### 1721–1740

| Ambtsperiode | Naam | Overig |
| 1721–1722 | Johann Jacob Vitriarius | |
| 1722–1723 | Hermannus Oosterdijk Schacht | (1) |
| 1723–1724 | Willem Jacob 's Gravesande | |
| 1724–1725 | Franciscus Fabricius | (3) |
| 1725–1726 | Johann Ortwin Westenberg | (1) |
| 1726–1727 | Bernhard Siegfried Albinus | |
| 1727–1728 | Jacobus Wittichius | (1) |
| 1728–1729 | Johannes Wesselius | (1) |
| 1729–1730 | Antonius Schultingh | (2) |
| 1730–1731 | Herman Boerhaave | (2) |
| 1731–1732 | Petrus Burmannus Senior | (2) |
| 1732–1733 | Tako Hajo van den Honert | (2) |
| 1733–1734 | Johann Ortwin Westenberg | (2) |
| 1734–1735 | Hermannus Oosterdijk Schacht | (2) |
| 1735–1736 | Jacobus Wittichius | (2) |
| 1736–1737 | Franciscus Fabricius | (4) |
| 1737–1738 | Johann Jacob Vitriarius | (2) |
| 1738–1739 | Bernhard Siegfried Albinus | (2) |
| 1739–1740 | Albertus Schultens | |
| 1740–1741 | Johannes Wesselius | (2) |

### 1741–1760

| Ambtsperiode | Naam | Afbeelding | Overig |
| 1741–1742 | Joannes Conradus Rücker | | (1) |
| 1742–1743 | Adriaan van Royen | | |
| 1743–1744 | Pieter van Musschenbroeck | | |
| 1744–1745 | Johan van den Honert | | |
| 1745–1746 | Gerlach Scheltinga | | |
| 1746–1747 | Hiëronymus David Gaubius | | |
| 1747–1748 | Tiberius Hemsterhuis | | |
| 1748–1749 | Johannes Alberti | | |
| 1749–1750 | Joachim Schwartz | | |
| 1750–1751 | Frederik Winter | | |
| 1751–1752 | Franciscus van Oudendorp | | |
| 1752–1753 | Joannes Esgers | | |
| 1753–1754 | Andreas Weiss | | |
| 1754–1755 | Frederik Bernard Albinus | | |
| 1755–1756 | Johannes Lulofs | | |
| 1756–1757 | Bernhardinus de Moor | | |
| 1757–1758 | Joannes Conradus Rücker | | | (2) |
| 1758–1759 | Adriaan van Royen | | (2) |
| 1759–1760 | Johannes Nicolaus Sebastianus Allamand | | |
| 1760–1761 | Joannes Jacobus Schultens | | |

### 1761–1780

| Ambtsperiode | Naam | Overig |
| 1761–1762 | Gerlach Scheltinga | (2) |
| 1762–1763 | Hiëronymus David Gaubius | (2) |
| 1763–1764 | David van Royen | |
| 1764–1765 | Ewaldus Hollebeek | |
| 1765–1766 | Frederik Willem Pestel | |
| 1766–1767 | Frederik Bernard Albinus | (2) |
| 1767–1768 | David Ruhnken | |
| 1768–1769 | Aegidius Gillissen | |
| 1769–1770 | Bavius Voorda | |
| 1770–1771 | Adriaan van Royen | (3) |
| 1771–1772 | Lodewijk Caspar Valckenaer | |
| 1772–1773 | Hermannus Scholten | |
| 1773–1774 | Dionysius Godefridus van der Keessel | |
| 1774–1775 | Hiëronymus David Gaubius | (3) |
| 1775–1776 | Didericus van der Kemp | |
| 1776–1777 | Nicolaas Hoogvliet | |
| 1777–1778 | Frederik Willem Pestel | (2) |
| 1778 | Frederik Bernard Albinus | (3) + |
| 1778–1779 | Gualtherus van Doeveren | |
| 1779–1780 | Dionysius van de Wijnpersse | |
| 1780–1781 | Ewaldus Hollebeek | (2) |

### 1781–1800

| Ambtsperiode | Naam | Overig |
| 1781–1782 | Bavius Voorda | (2) |
| 1782–1783 | Eduard Sandifort | (1) |
| 1783–1784 | Adriaan Kluit | |
| 1784–1785 | Carolus Boers | |
| 1785–1786 | Dionysius Godefridus van der Keessel | (2) |
| 1786–1787 | Nicolaus Georgius Oosterdijk Johanszoon | |
| 1787–1788 | Hendrik Albert Schultens | |
| 1788–1789 | Frederik Willem Pestel | (3) |
| 1789–1790 | Jona Willem te Water | (1) |
| 1790–1791 | Florentius Jacobus Voltelen | |
| 1791–1792 | Dionysius Godefridus van der Keessel | (3) |
| 1792–1793 | Broërius Broes | |
| 1793–1794 | Nicolaas Paradijs | |
| 1794–1795 | Johan Luzac | |
| 1795–1796 | Nicolaas Smallenburg | (1) |
| 1796–1797 | Sebald Justinus Brugmans | |
| 1797–1798 | Sebald Fulco Johannes Rau | |
| 1798–1799 | Johannes van der Palm | |
| 1799–1800 | Meinardus Simon du Pui | |
| 1800–1801 | Jona Willem te Water | (2) |

## 19e eeuw
### 1801–1820

| Ambtsperiode | Naam | Afbeelding | Overig |
| 1801–1802 | Eduard Hageman | | (1) |
| 1802–1803 | Eduard Sandifort | | (2) |
| 1803–1804 | Joannes van Voorst | | (1) |
| 1804–1805 | Sebald Fulco Johannes Rau | | (2) |
| 1805–1806 | Nicolaas Smallenburg | | (2) |
| 1806–1807 | Nicolaus Georgius Oosterdijk Johanszoon | | (2) |
| 1807–1808 | Simon Speijert van der Eijk | | |
| 1808–1809 | Joannes van Voorst | | | (2) |
| 1809–1810 | Matthijs Siegenbeek | | (1) |
| 1810–1811 | Eduard Hageman | | (2) |
| 1811–1812 | Sebald Justinus Brugmans | | (2) |
| 1812 | Sebald Justinus Brugmans | | (3) |
| 1813–1816 | Joan Melchior Kemper | | |
| 1816–1817 | Joannes van Voorst | | (3) |
| 1817–1818 | Simon Speijert van der Eijk | | (2) |
| 1818–1819 | Johannes van der Palm | | (2) |
| 1819–1820 | Meinardus Simon du Pui | | |
| 1820–1821 | Nicolaas Smallenburg | | (3) |

### 1821–1840

| Ambtsperiode | Naam | Overig |
| 1821–1822 | Johann Clarisse | |
| 1822–1823 | Cornelis Ekama | |
| 1823–1824 | Matthijs Siegenbeek | (2) |
| 1824–1825 | Gerard Sandifort | (1) |
| 1825–1826 | Hendrik Willem Tydeman | (1) |
| 1826–1827 | Lucas Suringar | |
| 1827–1828 | Gerard Wttewael van Wickenburgh | |
| 1828–1829 | John Bake | |
| 1829–1830 | Michael Jacobus Macquelijn | |
| 1830–1831 | Cornelis Jacobus van Assen | |
| 1831–1832 | Wessel Albertus van Hengel | |
| 1832–1833 | Caspar Georg Carl Reinwardt | |
| 1833–1834 | Jacob Nieuwenhuis | |
| 1834–1835 | Jacobus Cornelis Broers | |
| 1835–1836 | Henricus Cock | |
| 1836–1837 | Nicolaas Christiaan Kist | (1) |
| 1837–1838 | Pieter Johannes Uijlenbroek | |
| 1838–1839 | Petrus Hofman Peerlkamp | |
| 1839–1840 | Cornelis Pruijs van der Hoeven | |
| 1840–1841 | Johan Rudolph Thorbecke | |

### 1841–1860

| Ambtsperiode | Naam | Overig |
| 1841–1842 | Johan Frederik van Oordt | |
| 1842–1843 | Jan van der Hoeven | |
| 1843–1844 | Johannes Matthias Schrant sr. | |
| 1844–1845 | Gerard Sandifort | (2) |
| 1845–1846 | Hendrik Willem Tydeman | (2) |
| 1846–1847 | Joannes Henricus Scholten | |
| 1847–1848 | Antonius Henricus van der Boon Mesch | |
| 1848–1849 | Antonie Rutgers | |
| 1849–1850 | Gerardus Conradus Bernardus Suringar | |
| 1850–1851 | Johan de Wal | |
| 1851–1852 | Nicolaas Christiaan Kist | (2) |
| 1852–1853 | Gideon Jan Verdam | |
| 1853–1854 | Theodoor Willem Johannes Juynboll | |
| 1854–1855 | Frederik Willem Krieger | |
| 1855–1856 | Simon Vissering | |
| 1856–1857 | Joannes Henricus Scholten | (2) |
| 1857–1858 | Frederik Kaiser | |
| 1858–1859 | Jan Hendrik Stuffken | |
| 1859–1860 | Abraham Everard Simon Thomas | |
| 1860–1861 | Johan de Wal | (2) |

### 1861–1880

| Ambtsperiode | Naam | Overig |
| 1861–1862 | Abraham Kuenen | |
| 1862–1863 | Pieter Rijke | |
| 1863–1864 | Carel Gabriel Cobet | |
| 1864–1865 | Hidde Halbertsma Justuszoon | |
| 1865–1866 | Rembt van Boneval Faure | |
| 1866–1867 | Johannes Jacobus Prins | |
| 1867–1868 | Willem Frederik Reinier Suringar | |
| 1868–1869 | Reinhart Pieter Anne Dozy | |
| 1869–1870 | Johan Christiaan Gottlob Evers | |
| 1870–1871 | Joël Emanuel Goudsmit | |
| 1871–1872 | Lodewijk Willem Ernst Rauwenhoff | |
| 1872–1873 | David Bierens de Haan | |
| 1873–1874 | Matthias de Vries | |
| 1874–1875 | Adriaan Heynsius | |
| 1875–1876 | Joannes Theodorus Buys | |
| 1876–1877 | Joannes Henricus Scholten | (3) |
| 1877 | Pieter van Geer | (1) |
| 1877–1878 | Robert Fruin | |
| 1878–1879 | Anthony Modderman | |
| 1879–1880 | Johan Hendrik Caspar Kern | |
| 1880–1881 | Teunis Zaayer | Ook geschreven als Teunis Zaaijer |

### 1881–1900

| Ambtsperiode | Naam | Overig |
| 1881–1882 | Michael Jan de Goeje | |
| 1882–1883 | Pieter van Geer | (2) |
| 1883–1884 | Derk Doyer | |
| 1884–1885 | Guillaume Daniel Louis Huet | |
| 1885–1886 | Jan Pieter Nicolaas Land | |
| 1886–1887 | Hendricus Gerardus van de Sande Bakhuyzen | |
| 1887–1888 | Samuel Siegmund Rosenstein | |
| 1888–1889 | Jacob Maarten van Bemmelen | |
| 1889–1890 | Antoine Paul Nicolas Franchimont | |
| 1890–1891 | Christiaan Karel Hoffmann | |
| 1891–1892 | Henricus Oort | |
| 1892–1893 | Cornelis Petrus Tiele | |
| 1893–1894 | Sybrandus Johannes Fockema Andreae | |
| 1894–1895 | Pieter Antonie van der Lith | |
| 1895–1896 | Johann Karl Ludwig Martin | |
| 1896–1897 | Albert Cornelis Vreede | |
| 1897–1898 | Theodorus Hendrik Mac Gillavry | |
| 1898–1899 | Pieter Jacob Cosijn | |
| 1899–1900 | Hendrik Antoon Lorentz | |
| 1900–1901 | Jan Egens van Iterson (J.Azn.) | |

## 20e eeuw
### 1901–1920

| Ambtsperiode | Naam |
| 1901–1902 | Henri van der Hoeven |
| 1902 | Willem van der Vlugt |
| 1903 | Hendrik Barend Greven |
| 1903–1904 | Heike Kamerlingh Onnes |
| 1904–1905 | Jan van Leeuwen |
| 1905–1906 | Willem Einthoven |
| 1906–1907 | Willem Nolen |
| 1907–1908 | Jacobus Johannes Hartman |
| 1908–1909 | Jacob Verdam |
| 1909–1910 | Jan Cornelis Kluijver |
| 1910–1911 | Petrus Johannes Blok |
| 1911–1912 | Fredrik Pijper |
| 1912–1913 | Bernardus Dirks Eerdmans |
| 1913–1914 | Gerbrandus Jelgersma |
| 1914–1915 | Jacobus Marinus Janse |
| 1915–1916 | William Brede Kristensen |
| 1916–1917 | Cornelis van Vollenhoven |
| 1917–1918 | Gerrit Kalff |
| 1918–1919 | Pieter Cornelis Tobias van der Hoeven |
| 1919–1920 | Anton Willem Nieuwenhuis |
| 1920–1921 | Reinder Pieters van Calcar |

### 1921–1940

| Ambtsperiode | Naam |
| 1921–1922 | Christiaan Snouck Hurgronje |
| 1922 | Johannes Petrus Kuenen |
| 1922–1923 | Leopold van Itallie |
| 1923–1924 | Hugo Krabbe |
| 1924–1925 | Anthony Johannes Blok |
| 1925–1926 | Willem de Sitter |
| 1926–1927 | Eduard Meijers |
| 1927–1928 | Arent Jan Wensinck |
| 1928–1929 | Willem Jan Mari van Eysinga |
| 1929–1930 | Nicolaas van Wijk |
| 1930–1931 | Jean Philippe Vogel |
| 1931–1932 | Jan Johannes Blanksma |
| 1932 | Johannes Henricus Zaaijer |
| 1932–1933 | Johan Huizinga |
| 1933–1934 | Durk van Blom |
| 1934–1935 | Willem van der Woude |
| 1935–1936 | Anne Siberdinus de Blécourt |
| 1936–1937 | Jan van der Hoeve |
| 1937–1938 | Ton Barge |
| 1938–1939 | Paul Christiaan Flu |
| 1939–1940 | Frederik Muller Jzn |
| 1940–1941 | Alexander Willem Byvanck |

### 1941–1960

| Ambtsperiode | Naam | Overig |
| 1941-1943 | Willem van der Woude | (2) (waarnemend rector) (RU Leiden vanaf 27 nov. 1941 grotendeels gesloten) |
| 1943-1945 | -- | (Rijksuniversiteit Leiden gesloten door Duitse bezetter) |
| 1945 | Willem van der Woude | (3) (mei-sept.) |
| 1945–1946 | Berend George Escher | |
| 1946–1947 | Rudolph Pabus Cleveringa | |
| 1947–1948 | Julius Christiaan van Oven | |
| 1948–1949 | Cornelis Christiaan Berg | |
| 1949–1950 | Bernard van Groningen | Film 1950: Rector Magnificus Bernard van Groningen ontvangt boeken uit Amerika |
| 1950–1951 | Siegfried Thomas Bok | |
| 1951–1952 | Julius Herman Boeke | |
| 1952–1953 | Jan Duyvendak | |
| 1953–1954 | Jacob Maarten van Bemmelen jr. | |
| 1954–1955 | Jan Nicolaas Bakhuizen van den Brink | |
| 1955–1956 | Anton Eduard van Arkel | |
| 1956–1957 | Pieter Arie Hendrik de Boer | |
| 1957–1958 | Samuel Elzevier de Jongh | |
| 1958–1959 | Herman Johannes Lam | |
| 1959–1960 | Jan Engbertus Jonkers | |
| 1960–1961 | Jan Volkert Rijpperda Wierdsma | |

### 1961–2000

| Ambtsperiode | Naam | Overig |
| 1961–1962 | Gerhard Sevenster | |
| 1962–1963 | Sem Dresden | |
| 1963–1964 | Wim den Boer | |
| 1964–1965 | Donald Johan Kuenen | (1) |
| 1965–1966 | Johan Dankmeijer | |
| 1966–1967 | Klaas Hidding | |
| 1967–1968 | Piet Muntendam | |
| 1968–1969 | Louis Kukenheim Ezn. | |
| 1969–1970 | Johan Goslings | |
| 1970–1971 | Cornelis Soeteman | |
| 1971–1972 | Willem Roelof Oege Goslings | |
| 1972–1976 | Dolf Cohen | |
| 1976–1979 | Donald Johan Kuenen | (2) |
| 1979–1985 | Ton Kassenaar | |
| 1985–1991 | Jan Beenakker | |
| 1991–1997 | Lammert Leertouwer | |
| 1997–2001 | Willem Albert Wagenaar | |

## 21e eeuw

| Ambtsperiode | Naam | Overig |
| 2001–2007 | Douwe Breimer | tevens voorzitter CvB |
| 2007–2013 | Paul van der Heijden | tevens voorzitter CvB |
| 2013–2021 | Carel Stolker | tevens voorzitter CvB |
| 2021- | Hester Bijl | |