Born 23 April 1564 – Died 23 April 1616

William Shakespeare was born in Stratford-upon-Avon in Warwickshire. It is likely Shakespeare was educated at the local King Edward VI Grammar School in Stratford. At the age of 18 Shakespeare married Anne Hathaway and they had three children together. Shakespeare later moved to London to become an actor and writer. Shakespeare was a prolific playwright and poet. His earlier plays were mainly histories and comedies such as ‘Henry VI’, ‘Titus Andronicus’, ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’, ‘The Merchant of Venice’ and ‘Richard II’. The tragedy, ‘Romeo and Juliet’, was also published in this period. By the last years of Elizabeth I’s reign Shakespeare was well established as a famous poet and playwright and was called upon to perform several of his plays before the Queen at court. In 1598 the author Francis Meres described Shakespeare as England’s greatest writer in comedy and tragedy. Shakespeare spent the last five years of his life in New Place in Stratford. He died on 23 April 1616 at the age of 52 and was buried in Holy Trinity Church in Stratford.