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Apr 23, 1564
Birth
The baptism of 'Gulielmus filius Johannes Shakspere' is recorded in the register of the Holy Trinity Parish Church, in Stratford-upon-Avon. Although the exact date of Shakespeare's birth cannot be confirmed, the consensus is that Shakespeare was born on April 23, 1564. -
Period: Apr 23, 1564 to
Shakespeare Life and Works
Major Events from the Life and Works of William Shakespeare -
Marriage
Shakespeare's Marriage Licence Issued
The marriage licence was issued to William Shakespeare and Anne Whateley (Hathaway) of Temple Grafton, Warwickshire. -
The Baptism of Susanna Shakespeare
Susanna was the Shakespeares' first child, born a mere six months after the wedding of her parents. Shakespeare left Susanna most of his property upon his death in 1616. -
The Baptism of Hamnet and Judith Shakespeare
The twins were named after two very close friends of William: a baker named Hamnet Sadler and his wife, Judith. Tragically, Hamnet Shakespeare died in 1596 at the age of eleven -
Period: to
Shakespeare Writes Parts 1, 2, and 3 of Henry VI
Ful TextAlthough we do not know the precise dates of composition, it is generally assumed that the Henry VI trilogy was composed by Shakespeare between 1590 and the summer of 1592. -
First Quarto Editions of Love's Labour's Lost and 1 Henry IV
Love's Labour's Lost was first published in the 1598 quarto edition. (There is evidence, however, to suggest that the play was printed at an unknown earlier date). Two quarto editions of 1 Henry IV were produced in 1598 -
First Production of Julius Caesar
Julius CaesarThe diary of Thomas Platter documents the first recorded performance of Shakespeare's Roman tragedy. Platter, a Swiss tourist on vacation in London, wrote that he saw "in the straw-thatched house the tragedy of the first emperor, Julius Caesar, quite excellently acted by about fifteen persons." -
First Recorded Production of Richard II
Richard IIShakespeare's acting troupe, the Chamberlain's Men, were commissioned by the Earl of Essex to stage Richard II at the Globe. Essex's rebellion against Queen Elizabeth occurred on the following day, and it was believed that Essex tried to use Shakespeare's play to encourage the people to revolt. Elizabeth herself said, "I am Richard II, know ye not that"? Essex was executed on February 25 -
First Printing of Hamlet
HamletThe first quarto of Hamlet was published by London booksellers Nicholas Ling and John Trundell. Four more quarto versions followed, and the play was also included in the First Folio of 1623. -
First Performance of Othello
The first recorded performance of Othello was before King James I and his court. -
First Recorded Performance of King Lear
Records show that King Lear was performed before James I at Whitehall Palace. Shakespeare's friend and noted fellow actor, Richard Burbage, was the original Lear. -
Publication of Shakespeare's Sonnets
Although the collected sonnets were first published in 1609 by Thomas Thorpe, commonly they are thought to date from 1595 to 1599. In 1598 Francis Meres referred to Shakespeare's 'sugared sonnets' in Palladis Tamia. -
Death of William Shakespeare
The cause of Shakespeare's death is a mystery, but tradition tells us that "Shakespeare, Drayton, and Ben Jonson had a merry meeting and it seems drank too hard, for Shakespeare died of a fever there contracted." Shakespeare is buried in the chancel of Holy Trinity Church in Stratford. On his tomb is the warning: Good friend for Jesus sake forbeare,
To dig the dust enclosed here.
Blessed be the man that spares these stones,
And cursed be he that moves my bones.
