William Shakespeare was one of most respected playwrights in the world. Now today remembered not only by his plays but also famous quotes in his plays. On top of that he had legal transactions including theatrical and court documents.
William lived for 52 years. In just 23 years, between approximately 1590 and 1613, he is known to have written 38 plays, 154 sonnets and 5 other poems. He is now one of the most widely read Authors. The popularity of the Life and Works of Shakespeare, in English speaking countries, is second only to the Bible. Therefore it is no surprise that Shakespeare's biography sparks so much interest. (http://www.william-shakespeare.info/william-shakespeare-biography.htm)
William was the third of eight children, although the two born before him had died. There are no records of exact birth dates of the siblings, however the dates of christenings of each brother and sister have all been recorded in the Baptismal Register of the Holy Trinity parish church in Stratford.
(http://www.william-shakespeare.info/william-shakespeare-biography-brothers-and-sisters.htm)
William was the first-born son of Mary and John Shakespeare (that survived). The baptismal register of the Holy Trinity parish church, in Stratford, shows the following entry, in Latin, for April 26, 1564: Gulielmus Filius Johannes Shakespeare. Actual birthdays were not registered during the era, however, according to the Book of Common Prayer, it was required that a child be baptized on the nearest Sunday, or Holy Day, following the birth, unless the parents had a specific excuse not to do so. Also another view is that infants were baptized three days following their birth. The date Shakespeare's birth is, therefore, customarily set as the 23rd of April.
