Historical biography archive · Updated 2026-11-03

Christopher Marlowe Biography and Timeline

Follow Christopher Marlowe through 11 dated historical records for England.

Christopher Marlowe, historical timeline

A chronological timeline drawn from matching World History Database records.

11Distinct records
1 of 1Page
1564–1593Years on this page

1564

Birth of Christopher Marlowe

Canterbury · Arts / Literature

Birth of Christopher Marlowe, born to a shoemaker in Canterbury

1584

Bachelor of Arts

Scholar · Student at Corpus Christi College Cambridge · Cambridge · Arts / Literature

Receives his Bachelor of Arts degree at Corpus Christi College, Cambridge

Role range: 1593

Education

Canterbury · Arts / Literature

Attends The King's School, Canterbury (where a house is now named after him) and Corpus Christi College, Cambridge on a scholarship and received his Bachelor of Arts degree

1587

Cambridge University

Arts / Literature

The Privy Council orders Cambridge University to award Marlowe his MA, denying rumours that he intended to go to the English Catholic college in Rheims, saying he had been engaged in unspecified "affaires" on "matters touching the benefit of his country"

Drama

Arts / Literature

Tamburlaine among the first of the English plays in blank verse generally considered the beginning of the mature phase of the Elizabethan theatre. Marlowes first play is performed on stage in London, Tamburlaine, about the conqueror Timur, who rises from shepherd to warrior

Education

Arts / Literature

The Privy Council orders Cambridge University to award Marlowe his MA, denying rumours that he intended to go to the English Catholic college in Rheims, saying he had been engaged in unspecified "affaires" on "matters touching the benefit of his country"

1590

The two parts of Tamburlaine are published

Arts / Literature

The two parts of Tamburlaine are published

1592

Arrest of Christopher Marlowe

Flushing · Arts / Literature

Arrested in the Dutch town of Flushing for attempting to counterfeit coins and use the proceeds to assist seditious Catholics

Jew of Malta London Staging

Arts / Theatre

Christopher Marlowe's The Jew of Malta was performed in London by the early 1590s, presenting a dark satire of religious and economic conflict.

1593

Assassination of Christopher Marlowe

Deptford · Arts / Literature

Murdered in Deptford during a pub brawl under mysterious circumstances

Death of Christopher Marlowe

Deptford · Arts / Literature

Death of Christopher Marlowe, murdered

Records, sources and methodology

These dates and descriptions come from the historical_events database. Exact duplicate records have been collapsed. Names are grouped by the country, Name 2 and Name 1 fields; records with missing Name 2 cannot be reliably assigned to an individual biography. Check the underlying sources before formal citation.