1564:  April 23: William Shakespeare was born. He spent his early years in Stratford upon Avon where attended Stratford Grammar School until he was 14 years old

1582:  November 28: 'William Shagspeare' as it was spelt on the marriage bond wed 'Anne Hathwey' - Anne Hathaway of Shottery, Stratford

1583:  May 26: The baptism of Susanna Shakespeare the first child of William and Anne born six months after their wedding

1585:  Twins, Hamnet and Judith were born;  February 2, The baptism of Hamnet and Judith Shakespeare 

Late 1580s - 1592:  Will leaves his home in Stratford upon Avon and starts to work in the emerging theatres

  September 3: Death of Robert Greene author of Groatsworth of Wit in which he complains about Shakespeare as an "upstart crow"

  December: Robert Greene's editor Henry Chettle made a public apology to Christopher Marlowe and Shakespeare for the Groatsworth of Wit

1593:  London Theatres close due to the Bubonic Plague (The Black Death)

  Begins writing the Sonnets which were probably completed in 1597

  April 18: Registration of his poem Venus and Adonis which was published by Richard Field (1561 - 1624)

1595:  Achieves prosperity and recognition as the leading London Playwright at the "Theatre" which is owned by Burbage

  March 15: First document mentioning Shakespeare connected with the theatre

  Midsummer Night's Dream (?)

1596: The company of actors moved to the Swan Theatre on Bankside when London's authorities ban the public presentation of plays within the city limits of London

   August 11: His son, Hamnet dies, possibly from the bubonic plague, at the age of eleven

   October 20: John Shakespeare, father of Shakespeare is Granted a Coat of Arms

  Merchant of Venice

1597: Henry IV, part one (?)

1598:  Shakespeare and other members of the company finance the building of the Globe Theatre

1599:  The Globe Theatre is built on Bankside

1601: Hamlet and Twelfth Night

1604:  First performance of Othello; Measure for Measure (?) 

1608:  The King's Men buy the Blackfriars Theatre of which Shakespeare is part owner

1613:  Henry VIII, or All Is True, likely Shalespeare's last play, written in collaboration with John Fletcher

  June 29: Fire destroys the Globe Theatre during a performance of Henry VIII when cannon fire sets fire to the thatched roof

1614:  The second Globe Theatre was built

1616:  April 23: The death of William Shakespeare

  April 25: Burial takes place in the chancel of Holy Trinity Church in Stratford

1623:  The First Folio' of his plays is published