On this day (May 30) in 1593 the playwright Christopher Marlowe died after being stabbed at a pub in Deptford.

Marlowe was a contemporary of fellow playwright William Shakespeare, and was considered by many to be his equal.

His most famous plays include Doctor Faustus (c. 1589) which involves the hero bargaining his soul with the devil, and Tamburlaine (c.1587), which looks at the life of a great Mongol ruler.

He led a fascinating life. Apart from writing plays Marlowe was at turns a spy, counter-spy, atheist, and government critic.

The circumstances surrounding his death are still debated by historians — some claim his death was premeditated in order to silence him.

Regardless of the circumstance, there is a general consensus that he died after being stabbed at a public house in Deptford.

He was 29.

Marlowe is believed to have been buried in an unmarked grave at Saint Nicholas Church in Deptford.

A wall in the graveyard at the church bears a plaque commemorating Marlowe, with a highly appropriate quote taken from Doctor Faustus:

"Cut is the branch that might have grown full straight."

Like Marlowe himself, Doctor Faustus met an untimely end.

To learn more about Christopher Marlowe and his links to Deptford, see: http://www.marlowe-society.org/