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Apr 23, 1564
William's Shakespeare's Birth
Shakespeare's exact date of birth is unknown, but he was believed to be born on April 23, 1564 in Stratford-upon-Avon, England. -
Period: Apr 23, 1564 to
Reign of Queen Elizabeth I (during Shakespeare's Lifetime)
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Apr 26, 1564
Baptism of Shakespeare
He was baptized at the Holy Trinity Church. -
1571
Start of Education
Shakespeare started his education at the King Edward IV School in Stratford. -
1579
Leaving School
Shakespeare left school at the age of 15 because of his father's financial problems. -
1582
Marriage
18 year-old William Shakespeare married 26 year-old Anne Hathaway, who was also pregnant with their first baby. -
Birth of First Child
Susanna Shakespeare was born in 1583. -
Birth of Twins
Twins, Judith and Hamnet Shakespeare, were born in 1585. -
His First Play
Shakespeare started writing his first play, Henry VI Part 1, at around this time. -
Moving to London
Shakespeare left Stratford to London to become a playwright at around 1590. -
First Performed Play
Shakespeare's first performed play was Henry VII Part 2. -
His First Published Poem
His first published poem was "Venus and Adonis" in 1593. -
Theaters Closing
Theaters closed due to the bubonic plague that killed millions across Europe. -
Lord Chamberlain's Men
Shakespeare's acting company, Lord Chamberlain's Men, was formed in 1594. They often acted in front of Queen Elizabeth I. -
Death of Hamnet
Hamnet, Shakespeare's only son, died on August 11, 1596 due to unknown causes. -
The Globe
The Lord Chamberlain's Men built the first Globe in 1599. Many of Shakespeare's plays were first performed here. -
Hamlet
Shakespeare's father died in 1601, and this event motivated Shakespeare to write Hamlet, one of the greatest plays ever to be written. -
King's Men
Queen Elizabeth I died on March 24, 1603, and James I became King of England. The Lord Chamberlain's Men became the King's men and frequently performed in front of King James I -
Period: to
Reign of King James I (during Shakespeare's Lifetime)
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Returning to Stratford
William Shakespeare returned to his wife and his married daughters in Stratford at about 1611. -
His Last Will
The will of Shakespeare included odd contents, such as leaving his "second-best bed" to his wife and ten euros to the poor. -
His Death
Shakespeare died on April 23, 1616 due to a serious illness. He was buried 2 days later.
