England, 1613-1616
In 2016, the Will & Testament was placed on display at Somerset House as part of an exhibition marking 400 years since Shakespeare’s death
On 23 April 1616, William Shakespeare died. It is likely he had been ill for some time and Shakespeare prepared for the event of his passing by creating a last will and testament bequeathing all his earthly belongings to his loved ones. Despite so little being known about Shakespeare’s life, miraculously several copies of the will have survived and have become key documents for historians trying to learn more about the baffling bard. His cause of death, however, remains a mystery. Numerous myths and legends persist, from death by overindulgence of alcohol to typhoid, to syphilis (though some suggest this latter illness is less likely).