The Life of Shakespeare timeline.

Period: 1532 to 1572

Spanish Conquest of the Inca Empire

After setting their presence in the New World, the conquistador Francisco Pizarro assembled about 170 men and the discovered the Inca Empire. They set out to wipe out the empire, which was already weakened by disease and civil war.
Period: 1558 to 1603

Elizabethan Era

Considered to be the golden age in English history, this marked the beginning of the English Renaissance.
Apr 23, 1564

Birth of Shakespeare

While we don't have records of his date of birth, we suspect that it was around this time that he was born in Stratford-upon-Avon, England, UK. His parents were John Shakespeare and Mary Arden. While he was the eldest of eight, that is only because he had two elder siblings who died in infancy. His five younger siblings were Gilbert, Joan, Anne, Richard, and Edmund.
Apr 26, 1564

Baptism of Shakespeare
1578

Education

He attended King's New School, which focused on Latin rhetoric and drama. However, he left at the age of 14 to undertake an apprenticeship which would last for seven years.
Nov 28, 1582

Marriage

Shakespeare married Anne Hathaway in Worcester, in the Canterbury Province. At the time, Shakespeare was 18 years old, and Hathaway was 26 and pregnant.
May 26, 1583

First Child

Susanna was baptized after being born in the same year.
Period: 1585 to 1592

Shakespeare's Lost Years

There are two theories as to why there are no records within this time span.
1. He was most likely hiding from a landlord, Sir Thomas Lucy, after poaching game.
2. He was working as an assistant schoolmaster.
Period: 1589 to 1593

The Two Gentlemen of Verona

Considered to be an early work of his, this was the beginnings of his grand writing.
Period: 1590 to 1592

The Taming of the Shrew

While it is hard to pin down the exact date it was published, it's more complicated when there is a near identical story called A Pleasant Conceited Historie that was published at around the same time.
Mar 3, 1592

First Published Play

Henry VI was published in three parts, which dealt with the history of England along with the king of the same name.
1593

First Poem

Shakespeare created a long narrative poem called Venus and Adonis. It contained 1,194 lines and was created thanks to the funding of Henry Wriothesley.
1594

Beginning of his Career

For the duration of his life, he joined the Lord Chamberlain's Men, an acting company that was considered to be very popular.
1595

A Midsummer Night's Dream

Whilst being written at the same time as Romeo and Juliet, this play was written with more comedic theme in mind, where the lovers instead end up together rather than dead.
1597

Romeo and Juliet

Considered to be the most iconic play in history, it tells a tale of two star-crossed lovers who both die because of a family feud.
1599

Hamlet

Another iconic play that depicts the story of a Danish prince who goes out of his way to kill his uncle.
1599

Julius Caesar

This five act-play depicts the tale of a dictator who was betrayed by his council and even his close friend.
1599

Globe Theater

Built on the south side of the Thames, it proved to be a great asset to Shakespeare and his fellow thespians. It was accidentally burned down in 1613 during a play of Henry VIII.
1603

Othello

Another five-act play, which tells a tale of incest, violence, and jealousy.
2023

Reference Sheet Pt.1
2023

Reference Sheet Pt.2

Spanish Conquest of the Inca Empire

Elizabethan Era

Birth of Shakespeare

Baptism of Shakespeare

Education

Marriage

First Child

Shakespeare's Lost Years

The Two Gentlemen of Verona

The Taming of the Shrew

First Published Play

First Poem

Beginning of his Career

A Midsummer Night's Dream

Romeo and Juliet

Hamlet

Julius Caesar

Globe Theater

Othello

Reference Sheet Pt.1

Reference Sheet Pt.2