On what date did William Shakespeare die?

On what date did William Shakespeare die? William Shakespeare died on 23 April 1616.

Shakespeare died in Stratford-upon-Avon at the age of 52 and was buried at Holy Trinity Church, where he had been baptised and where his family worshipped. A monument inside the church gives 23 April 1616 as his death date, which is the standard date used by biographers and reference works.

The surviving parish records create a small documentary wrinkle. The burial entry is dated 25 April 1616, and burials commonly followed death by a few days. That record does not overturn the traditional date; it helps explain why the date is sometimes discussed alongside the burial date. The exact cause of Shakespeare’s death is also unknown, despite centuries of speculation.

The date is especially memorable because 23 April is also traditionally celebrated as Shakespeare’s birthday, although his birth date was not directly recorded. His baptism took place on 26 April 1564, so 23 April is an informed conventional date rather than a surviving birth certificate date.