In what year was Shakespeare born?
Shakespeare was born in April 1564. It is speculated that his actual birth date was April 23, 1564 (St. George’s Day) because that was three days before he was baptized. He was born to John Shakespeare, a tanner, glover and alderman from Snitterfield, and Mary Arden who was a daughter of a rich landowning farmer.
He was born in Stratford-upon-Avon and on April 26, 1564 he was baptized in the same church where he was buried in the Holy Trinity Church. He was the third of eight and the oldest living son.
Records suggest that he was educated at the King’s New School, educated in the classics and Latin. He married 26-year-old Anne Hathaway at age 18, and had a daughter, Susanna, and two twins Hamnet and Judith. His son, Hamnet, died at age 11. He grew to become the best writer in the English language.
What pushes people to speculate that Shakespeare was born on April 23, 1564 was that he died on that same day in 1616. It adds a special touch to the legend that was Shakespeare.
1564. William Shakespeare is born in Stratford upon Avon to local tanner John and Mary Shakespeare. His actual birthday is unknown but assumed and celebrated today on April the 23rd, just three days before his baptism was recorded in the Parish register of the Holy Trinity Church on April the 26th.
