William Shakespeare was an English playwright and poet born in 1564 in Stratford-upon-Avon, England. He is considered one of the greatest writers in history, known for his plays that exemplified drama during the time of Queen Elizabeth I. Some key facts about Shakespeare include that he married Anne Hathaway at age 18 and had three children, before moving to London to work as an actor and playwright, writing 37 plays that are still performed today. He died in 1616 and is buried at Holy Trinity Church in Stratford-upon-Avon.