Francis, the Duke of Anjou and Alençon, son of France’s King Henry II and Catherine de Medici was born under the name ‘Hercule’ in 1555. As a child he suffered from various ailments, spinal issues, and the loss of his
Chettle, Henry (Draft)
Henry Chettle is a well-known Elizabethan printer and playwright connected with many high-profile writers including William Shakespeare, Thomas Dekker, Thomas Nashe, Anthony Munday, and Thomas Heywood. Chettle established himself as a great collaborator, working with many authors and contributing to
Queen Elizabeth I
Queen Elizabeth I (1533-1603) was born Elizabeth Tudor on September 7, 1533. She was the first daughter of King Henry VIII and only child of his second wife, Anne Boleyn. King Henry had her mother executed when Elizabeth was three
Marlowe, Christopher (Draft)
Christopher Marlowe (1564-1593), known to friends by his nickname Kit, was an English playwright and poet who lived a short life ridden with scandal and brilliance. Marlowe was the eldest son of a local cobbler in Canterbury named John Marlowe
Milton, John (Draft)
John Milton, born in 1608, was an English writer of great renown. Known for his prose and his poetry, Milton’s writing offered a re-presentation and critique of political, social, religious, educational, and historical issues. He encouraged readers to parse out
Rome in Elizabethan England
While Queen Elizabeth I ruled England, her person and government gave playwrights, pamphleteers, and others contributing to popular culture much fodder with which to debate the country’s ethics, religion, and politics. Of course, criticizing Queen and country was risky business. Rome
Hathaway, Anne
Born in either 1555 or 1556, Anne Hathaway, also recorded as Agnes, was the eldest of her eight siblings. She lived on a farm formerly known as Hewlands, but now is called Anne Hathaway’s Cottage. Hewlands functioned as a sheep
Cambridge University
Nestled next to the River Cam, the Cambridge University of medieval England was a completely different institution than today. In its earliest days, the University had no private premises; it used community churches such as Great St. Mary’s and St.
Bradley, William
William Bradley (c. 1563-1589) was the son of William Bradley, Sr. and was raised on the corner of High Holborn and Gray’s Inn Lane. Bradley was frequently in trouble; his most famous fight involved Christopher Marlowe and Thomas Watson on
Drury, Thomas
Thomas Drury (1551-1603) was a government informant who accused Marlowe of atheism. Drury worked for Sir Nicholas Bacon as a government informant and messenger. Drury attended Caius College, but didn’t earn a degree. He was arrested in 1585 for no
Raleigh, Sir Walter
Sir Walter Raleigh (1552/1554-1618) was a member of the landed gentry, who also served as a soldier and Captain of the Queen’s Guard. Known for popularizing tobacco in England, Raleigh was also a scholar, poet, musician, courtier, and explorer. He
Walsingham, Sir Thomas
Sir Thomas Walsingham (1561-1630) was an important landowner and literary patron. Ingram Frizer was employed by Walsingham, at Scadbury Manor before he killed Christopher Marlowe. Walsingham may have allowed Marlowe to live at one of the many houses he inherited.
Daniel, Samuel
Samuel Daniel (1562-1619) was an English poet, historian, and playwright. Daniel’s known associates included William Shakespeare, Edmund Spenser, and Sir Walter Raleigh. Born in 1562, he studied at Oxford University. He left after three years to study poetry and philosophy,
Nashe, Thomas
Thomas Nashe (1567-1600/1) was a satirical Elizabethan writer of poetry, pamphlets, and dramatic works. At fourteen, Nashe joined St. John’s College of Cambridge University, and received his BA. Nashe was associated with Christopher Marlowe, Robert Greene, and Thomas Watson. In
Topcliffe, Richard
Richard Topcliffe served Queen Elizabeth as an interrogator in 1557 at the Tower of London and Bridewell Prison. Bridewell is presumed to be where Topcliffe interrogated Thomas Kyd. He was considered a merciless persecutor of Catholics. It is stated that “no blot
Watson, Thomas
Thomas Watson (1555/1557-1592) was an English poet and author of The Hekatompathia, or Passionate Century of Love. Watson and Christopher Marlowe were arrested and incarcerated at Newgate Prison for the murder of William Bradley. Marlowe was released after two weeks,
Baines, Richard
Despite scarce information surrounding Richard Baines’ early life, he graduated from Cambridge University in 1576 and became an Elizabethan intelligencer. Given his profession, he most likely frequented the Tower of London and reported to Sir Francis Walsingham. Starting in 1579,
Greene, Robert
Robert Greene (1558-1592) was a popular English pamphleteer and dramatist. He was baptized in Norwich on July 11th, 1558. Greene matriculated as a sizar at St. John’s, Cambridge where he received his BA. Later, he received his MA at Clare
Henslowe, Philip
Philip Henslowe was the owner of a few prominent playhouses and a financial keeper for some of the best acting companies in England. He was born in 1550 in Linfield, Sussex, and died on January 6, 1616 in London. Henslowe
Lyly, John
John Lyly (c. 1553/1554 – 1606) was an Elizabethan prose writer, dramatist, poet, and courtier. Lyly attended King’s School in Canterbury, and Magdalen College at Oxford, earning his BA and MA. The first play he ever published was the prose
Harriot, Thomas
Thomas Harriot (1560-1621) was an English scientist who made terrific advances in various branches of mathematics such as astronomy and navigation. He studied at Cambridge and is reputed to be the first person to look at an astronomical body through
Skeres, Nicholas
Nicholas Skeres (March 1563 – c.1601) was a con-man and government informant. Skeres worked as a servant for Thomas Walsingham. He was a government provocateur and a part of discovering the Babington Plot, working as a spy with Francis Walsingham.
Walsingham, Sir Francis
Francis Walsingham (1532-1590) was Queen Elizabeth I’s principal secretary and spymaster. He attended King’s College in Cambridge and continued his studies in France and Italy. As a Member of Parliament for Lyme Regis, Dorset, Walsingham worked with William Cecil and
Carey, George
George Carey, 2nd Baron Hunsdon (1547- Sept. 9, 1602) was the second cousin of Queen Elizabeth I, Lord Chamberlain of the Royal Household, and a patron of the Lord Chamberlain’s Men for Shakespeare. George Carey was the oldest son of
Alleyn, Edward
Edward “Ned” Alleyn (1566-1626) was an early modern London actor and founder of Dulwich College. He was known for his physical size and ability to handle commanding parts. Born in 1566, he was characterized as a “bred a Stage-player” and
Babington, Anthony
Anthony Babington (1561-1586) was an English conspirator famous for being the leader of a plot to murder Queen Elizabeth, known afterwards as “The Babington Plot.” He was born October of 1561 and secretly raised a Roman Catholic. He went on
Kyd, Thomas
Thomas Kyd (1558-1594) was an influential Elizabethan playwright whose most famous plays include The Spanish Tragedy and The Tragedy of Soliman and Perseda. His parents were Anna and Francis Kyd; he was baptized at Saint Mary Woolnoth church in London on November 6, 1558. His father was a member of London’s Company of
Shakespeare, William
William Shakespeare (1564-1616); Although not a “Londoner,” Shakespeare spent most of his working life there, writing and performing plays still well known today, and socializing in the same literary circle as Christopher Marlowe and other University Wits. After Shakespeare