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Jan 15, 1559
The coronation of Queen Elizabeth I
Elizabeth I (also known as the Virgin Queen due to not being married) is considered to be one of England’s greatest monarchs. She established a permanent Protestant Church of England, and encouraged the Calvinist reformers in Scotland. Elizabeth encouraged voyages of discovery, such as Sir Francis Drake’s circumnavigation of the world and Sir Walter Raleigh’s expeditions to the North American coast. -
1576
The first public playhouse (“The Theatre”) is built
The Theatre was located in the parish of St. Leonard’s, Shoreditch and was a roofless, circular building with three galleries surrounding a yard. It was built by James Burbage and several companies performed there including Shakespeare's Chamberlain’s Men.The building was dismantled in 1598 and its timbers were used to construct the first Globe Theatre -
1577
Sir Francis Drake’s circumnavigation of the world
Sir Francis Drake’s was an English admiral who circumnavigated the globe from 1577–1580. He was known as the most renowned seaman of the Elizabethan Age and the expedition was backed by the Queen. Only his flagship made it to the Pacific and up the coast of South America. He brought back treasures and spices to England and despite his piracy and objections from Spain was knighted by the Queen. -
Sir Walter Raleigh’s first expedition to Roanoke
Sir Raleigh funds the expidition and Philip Amadas and Arthur Barlowe command the two ships. These ships sailed from England on April 27, 1584 and landed on the coast of North Carolina on July 13, 1584. Unable to establish a good rapport with the local Indians, and because of a lack proper provisions for permanent settlement, the colonists are forced to return to England. Raleigh reports the discovery of Roanoke Island to Queen Elizabeth I, and the new territory is named Virginia. -
The defeat of the Spanish Armada
130 Spanish ships are sent to secure control of the English Channel but due to storms that send the armada back to Spain, it allows the British time to prepare for battle.The English naval force is commanded by Lord Charles Howard and Sir Francis Drake. Upon defeat the Armada was forced to retreat north to Scotland. This made England a world-class power and introduced effective long-range weapons into naval warfare. -
The North Berwick Witch Hunt
Some 70 "witches" were tried, tortured and executed during the reign of King James the VI. James' hatred and obsession of witches and witchcraft is due to a storm that occurred which prevented him from sailing to get his future wife in Denmark. It is believed that Shakespeare's witches in Macbeth, which mention the sieve of North Berwick, are a nod to the witch hunt. “But in a sieve, I’ll thither sail
And, like a rat without a tail,
I’ll so, I’ll do, I’ll do” -
The plague hits London
The Bubonic plague was also called the "Black Death". High numbers of deaths lead to the closure of many theatres. The plague brings the end of London’s boy companies, which enables Shakespeare’s company to replace the boy players at the indoor Blackfriars theatre. This affected the intimate scenes he could write and the audience for whom he would write. It's possible that the passing of several of Shakespeare's family members could be due to the plague. -
Christopher Marlowe’s Dr. Faustus premieres
Was published in 1604 but first performed a decade or so earlier. Marlowe’s play is based on the medieval legend of Faust, who makes a pact with the devil in order to obtain knowledge and power. The performance and Latin writings of Marlowe are said to be so good that they actually conjure up the devil himself. Spectators claim to see actual apparitions of him during performances. -
The Earl of Essex’s attempted rebellion
Robert Devereux, the Earl of Essex refused to follow out the express orders given him to fight The Earl of Tyrone, which lost him favour with Queen Elizabeth I. He sponsored a performance of Shakespeare's play, Richard II which was seen as a symbolic threat to the Queen because of the plays content where King Richard looses this throne. After locking up the Queens advisers in his house, Essex was brought before a council where he was tried and found guilty of treason. -
King James I succeeds Queen Elizabeth I
James at one year old, became king of Scotland, when his mother Mary Queen of Scots, abdicated. He succeeded Queen Elizabeth upon her death. In his 22 year reign, James had many conflicts with the English Parliament. He is know for his writings, True Lawe of Free Monarchies (1598) and Basilikon Doron (1599) where he spoke of the divine right of king. He also oversaw the English translation of the Bible, published in 1611, which became known as the King James Version. -
The Gunpowder Plot
Lead by Robert Catesby, who's father was persecuted by Queen Elizabeth I, it was an effort to end the persecution of Roman Catholics and to replace the country’s Protestant government with a Catholic one. Guy Fawkes was discovered with 30 barrels of gun powder under Parliament and failed to blow it up along with King James I. As a result laws were instituted that eliminated the rights of Catholics to vote, among other restrictions. Guy Fawkes day is celebrated in remembrance. -
Shakespeare’s Macbeth premieres
The first known performance of Macbeth was staged in the Great Hall at Hampton Court Palace for King James I and his brother-in-law, King Christian IV of Denmark. One of Shakespeare's shortest plays, centers on Scottish history which is a nod to King James. Also called "The Scottish Play" from those who believed it to be a cursed play and will refuse to say its real name. -
The founding of Jamestown, Virginia
King James I granted a charter to the Virginia Company, lead by Christopher Newport, to form a settlement in North America. Jamestown (located on the banks of the James river) consisted of a wooden fort built in a triangle around a storehouse for weapons and other supplies, a church and a number of houses. The colonists were under constant threat of attack by local Algonquian tribes. King James I makes Virginia into an official crown colony, with Jamestown as its capital, in 1624. -
The King James Bible is published
An English translation of the Bible published in 1611 under King James I of England. 47 scholars actually participated in the translation. They were organized into six companies, working separately at Westminster, Oxford, and Cambridge. The translation had a marked influence on English literary style and was generally accepted as the standard English Bible from the mid-17th to the early 20th century. -
The Globe is destroyed by a fire
The fire is caused when stage cannons, which were fired near the end of Act One to mark the entrance of King Henry, and a piece of flaming material from one of the cannons, lands on the theatre’s thatched roof. The flames consumed the all-wooden structure within an hour and the theatre is destroyed. It was rebuilt in 1614, until then plays continued at the Black friars complex. -
Theaters are shut down by the Puritans and acting is banned
The English Civil War, between the Parliamentarians (Puritans) and the Royalists started in June 1642. Parliament was now led primarily by Puritans, who viewed the theatre as centres of vice. An ordinance was passed that ordered theatres to close for the duration of the war. They remained closed throughout the period only re-opening with the Restoration of Charles II to the throne in 1660.
