Thread: Book Day
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Old 04-23-2005, 07:48 PM
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Did you know this? I just found out!

Did Cervantes and Shakespeare die on the same day?
It is often stated that Cervantes died on the same day as his English counterpart William Shakespeare, namely April 23, 1616. This is not correct. They did die on the same date, but not on the same day.

Spain adopted the Gregorian calendar (or New Style) immediately in 1582. But England stayed with the Julian calendar (Old Style) until 1752. In the 16th and 17th centuries the Gregorian calendar was 10 days ahead of the Julian calendar. So Cervantes died on April 23, 1616 in the Gregorian calendar, but Shakespeare died ten days later on April 23, 1616 in the Julian calendar, which is the same day as May 3, 1616 in the Gregorian calendar.
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