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First child
Six months after their marriage, Shakespeare's first child, Susanna, is born and baptized. -
Date of death
William dies on April 23rd, his burial being recorded in the Stratford Holy Church Register two days later. 1616 -
Date of birth
Shakespeare was born in April 1564, the date is not known. He was born in Stratford Upon Avon -
School
WIlliam Shakespeare is christened at Holy Trinity Church in Stratford. Shakespeare enters King's New School, an excellent grammar school in Stratford attended by the sons of civil servants like his father. 1571 -
Marriage
William Shakespeare marries Anne Hathaway. William is 18 years old and Anne is 26 years old. 1582 -
Making his career
Shakespeare is believed to have left his family in Stratford to join a company of actors as both playwright and performer, starting his career in theatre. 1585-1592 -
Twins
Anne Hathaway gives birth to twins, son Hamnet and daughter Judith. The babies are named after Shakespeare's close friends, Hamnet and Judith Sadler. 1585 -
First play
Shakespeare writes Henry VI, Part One—his very first play. 1590 -
Robert Greene
Shakespeare begins to be noticed as a force within London theatre; Robert Greene’s Groatworth of Wit famously calls Shakespeare an "upstart crow". He attacks Shakespeare as lacking originality since he borrows ideas from other for his own plays. Academics see this criticism as proof that Shakespeare was in London at this time. 1592 -
Writting
Shakespeare is thought to have written the poem Venus and Adonis and the plays Richard III and The Two Gentlemen of Verona. 1592-1593 -
More writting
A busy year for Shakespeare as he is thought to have composed Richard II performed that very same year, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, thought to be composed for a wedding and the greatest love story of all time, Romeo and Juliet. 1595 -
New home
Shakespeare buys the New Place, one of Stratford’s most preeminent homes. 1597 -
Much Ado About Nothing
William writes the play Much Ado About Nothing in this year. 1598 -
The Phoenix and the Turtle
The narrative poem, The Phoenix and the Turtle is thought to have been written. 1601 -
Qeen Elizabeth
A Midsummer’s Night is performed at Hampton Court before Queen Elizabeth who dies later that year. 1603 -
Measure for Measure
is believed to have been written in this year. 1604 -
King James
The Merchant of Venice is performed twice at King James’ Court earning a commendation from the King. 1605 -
Sierra Leone
Hamlet and Richard III are performed aboard the British ship Dragon off the west coast of Africa at Sierra Leone. 1607
