The great English dramatist and poet William Shakespeare was born on this day in 1564, according to what is believed by tradition.
It is impossible to be certain the exact day on which he was born, but church records show that he was baptized on April 26.
It was then customary that a child would be baptized three days after being born, what led historians to believe that it was on April 23 that Shakespeare was born.
Born as the son of John Shakespeare, a leather trader and the town bailiff in Stratford-on-Avon, Shakespeare's life can only be gleaned from official records.
He did not go to university and married eight years senior Anne Hathaway at the age of 18.
Their first daughter Susanna was born six months later, and in 1585 they had twins Hamnet, who died 11 years later, and Judith.
Shakespeare went on to create great dramas such as The Tempest, Hamlet, Romeo and Juliet, A Midsummer Night's Dream and Richard II among others.
Shakespeare died in Stratford-on-Avon on April 24, 1616, the same day of his birth. Today, his plays are performed more often and in more nations than ever before.