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Apr 23, 1564
William Shakespeare Born
Though the exact date of Shakespeare's birth is unknown, historians assume it to be around April 23, 1564.He was born in Stratford-upon-Avon, England, to John and Mary Shakespeare. They were a middle-class family, and John was involved in town government.
This is significant because Shakespeare would grow up to become a famous playwright. He wrote at least 38 plays and 154 sonnets.
(Magill and Moose 686) -
Jan 1, 1577
John Shakespeare Stops Attending Town Meetings
John Williams was a wealthy business owner, and civil servant. However, in 1577, his fortunes suddenly declined. Little is known about this period in Shakespeare's life, and no explanation fits all the facts - the Shakespeare's fortunes appear to have simply suddenly declined. Though there is reason to suspect religious conflicts, ultimately, the cause is unknown.
This negatively affected Shakespeare's childhood, as his family was now in debt.
(Reese 18) -
Feb 24, 1582
Pope Gregory XIII Introduces the Gregorian Calendar
On February 24, 1582, Pope Gregory XIII Introduced the Gregorian calendar. It was originally introduced to realign Easter with the spring equinox and thereby the Jewish Passover, as the dates had become misaligned. It was not adopted by the rest of Europe for more than a century.
The Gregorian calendar is still used today, and it is more accurate than the former, Julian calendar, which dropped a day every 128 years.
(Mercado; Seidelmann and Doggett) -
Shakespeare marries Anne Hathaway
On November 28, 1582, Shakespeare, then 18, and Anne Hathaway, 26, married. She was already several months pregnant at that time, and would give birth to their first daughter six months later.
Shakespeare and Anne had three children together. Her only mention in Shakespeare's will was the inheritance of a bed.
(Magill and Moose 686; Mabillard) -
Mary Stuart, Queen of Scots Beheaded
On February 8, 1587, Mary Queen of Scots was beheaded at Fotheringhay Castle, for participating in a plan to murder Queen Elizabeth I. In 1586, she had been convicted of treason. She had been imprisoned for 19 years, after she became the focus of Catholic groups, who wished to use her to overthrow Queen Elizabeth, a Protestant.
Mary's death furthered the divide between English Catholics and Protestants. Her son, James VI, succeeded Elizabeth.
(Corbishley and Kenneth 200; "Mary Queen of Scots") -
Robert Greene Criticizes Shakespeare's Work
In 1592, Robert Greene, a minor playwright, published the "Groats-worth of Witte," a pamphlet criticizing his younger rivals, including Shakespeare. This was Shakespeare's first print mention as a playwright.
Little is known about this period in Shakespeare's life, and this passage is the first evidence of his rise in London theater. It proves that Shakespeare was well known enough to be someone worth criticizing.
(Terry, "A Shakespeare Timeline;" Terry, "Life & Times") -
Theaters Closed Because of Plague
In January of 1593, the theaters were closed due to plague. In one city, about 5% of the people died due to plague in a year. This closing changed how professional acting companies could operate, as they had severely reduced budgets.
During this time, Shakespeare turned his creative energies away from plays, to poetry. He wrote many of his sonnets during this time, including "Venus and Adonis," the most reprinted of Shakespeare's works during his lifetime.
(Terry, "A Shakespeare Timeline") -
Hamnet dies
Hamnet, Shakespeare's son, died at the age of 11 in August of 1596. The cause of his death is unknown - however, childhood deaths during this time in England were not uncommon.
Many suspect that Shakespeare's renewed interest in Stratford occurred because of Hamnet's death. There is also speculation on how Hamnet's death affected Shakespeare's writing; several plays have scenes which seem to be influenced by the loss of a son.
(Mabillard) -
Globe Theater Built
In 1599, The Globe Theater was built by the Chamberlain's Men, after they were forced to move out of The Theatre. It was built using timbers from a former playhouse, by carpenter Peter Smith. The exact dimensions are unknown, but it was believed to have been a three-story amphitheater.
The Globe Theater was a major source of income for Shakespeare. It was the "most magnificent theater London had ever seen," and among the London playhouses, it was especially powerful.
("The Globe Theatre") -
Establishment of the Tokugawa Shogunate
In 1603, the Tokugawa Shogunate was established in Japan. During the 1500s, Japan was largely controlled by daimyos. After his victory in the Battle of Sekigahara, Tokugawa Ieyasu, a daimyo, got much power, and as a result, was named shogun, or supreme military leader, by the weak imperial court.
This started the Tokugawa (Edo) period, which lasted until 1867. The Edo period’s stability set the stage for the Meiji period, and the rapid modernization which followed.
("Meiji Restoration") -
King James Grants the King's Men License to Play in the Kingdom
In 1603, King James granted Shakespeare's company, the Lord Chamberlain's Men, license to perform anywhere in the kingdom. They changed their names to the King's Men, and began performing on his warrant.
This allowed Shakespeare's theater company to continue performing. It also affiliated them with King James, as they were now the King's Men.
(Gray, "Life & Times") -
Queen Elizabeth I Dies
On March 24, 1603, Queen Elizabeth I died, after 44 years of rule. She was the last Tudor monarch. She had strengthened England, and encouraged sailing expeditions to undiscovered lands. She was known for not marrying, and the English Renaissance flourished under her rule.
After her death, King James VI of Scotland became king, uniting England and Scotland.
(Corbishley and Kenneth 200; "Queen Elizabeth") -
Jamestown Colony Established
On May 13, 1607, English colonists arrived to Virginia, founding Jamestown. They were chartered by the London Company, and elected Edward Winfield as their first president.
Jamestown was plagued by disease, starvation, and Native American attacks. Though many colonists died, the London Company sent more settlers and supplies.
Jamestown was the first permanent English settlement in America, and the site where John Rolfe first cultivated tobacco, a successful cash crop.
("Jamestown Settlers") -
Shakespeare's Retirement
Many scholars believe that Shakespeare left the stage around 1611, finishing his final plays in Stratford. In the final years before his death, he seemed to rejoice in the pleasure of his family, without getting involved in any large controversy.
The later parts of Shakespeare's life were peaceful. However, even at Stratford, he continued writing plays, and continuing his work.
(Gray, "A Shakespeare Timeline") -
Mikhail Romanov Coronated
On February 21, 1613, Mikhail Romanov was crowned at 16. Russia had been in a succession crisis called "The Time of Troubles," and a nation assembly elected Romanov, a young boyar (noble) with ties to the old dynasty, czar. He was weak for several years, until his power was consolidated.
This event was significant as the Romanovs would continue to rule Russia for the next 300 years, until the 1917 revolution.
(Thackeray and Findling 6; "Russian Rulers") -
William Shakespeare Dies
Shakespeare died on April 23, 1616. The cause of his death is unknown, though gossip states that Shakespeare caught a fever. He had updated his will on March 25, 1616.
Shakespeare's death was significant because he could no longer write, nor publish. The First Folio, containing 36 of Shakespeare's plays, was published seven years after his death.
(Magill and Moose; Terry, "A Shakespeare Timeline")
