SHAKESPEARE S LIFE AND TIMES (2) WORLD HISTORY 1574 1584 1585 The The The The wars of religion began in France. potato was brought to Europe. first English child, Virginia Dare, was born in North America. first Tsar of Russia, Ivan I, died. ENGLISH HISTORY 1578 1580 1586 1587 1588 1589 Francis Drake, the famous sea captain, sailed1 around the world. People were afraid that the Spanish would invade England. Elizabeth s councillors told Catholic sympathizers not to cause trouble. Mary, Queen of Scots, went on trial2. Secret agents were sent everywhere to seek out any information or plot which could help find her guilty. Mary was beheaded3. William Knell, an actor in the Queen s Men theatre company, was killed in a fight with a colleague. The English defeated the Spanish Armada. The Queen s favourite, the Earl of Leicester, died. The famous clown and actor, Richard Tarlton, died. He probably inspired Shakespeare to create the fool in King Lear. The theatre began to put on new plays in London. Thomas Kyd s Spanish Tragedy and Marlowe s Tamburlaine were performed. Marlowe s Jew of Malta was produced. SHAKESPEARE S HISTORY 1576 1577 1579 1582 1583 1585 1586 His father suddenly closed his business and was in financial trouble. John Shakespeare began to miss council meetings in Stratford. William s sister, Anne, fell ill and died. She was seven years old. John Shakespeare was warned by the authorities . We do not know if this was because of his religious or political views. William Shakespeare asked for a licence to marry Anne Hathaway. Holy Trinity baptismal records read: Susanna filia Gulielmus Shakespeare. Hamnet and Judith Shakespeare were born and baptized. John Shakespeare officially lost his position on the Stratford council for not going to church. 1. sailed: travelled on a ship with the wind and no engine. 2. trial: a formal examination of evidence in a court of law to find out if you are guilty or not guilty of doing something wrong. 3. beheaded: had her head cut off.