English theatre company known by that name after it came under royal patronage in 1603. Its previous name was the Lord Chamberlain's Men. Considered the premier acting company in Jacobean England, the troupe included William Shakespeare (Shakespeare, William) as its leading dramatist and Richard Burbage as it principal actor. The King's Men often performed at the Blackfriars (Blackfriars Theatre) and Globe (Globe Theatre) theatres. See Chamberlain's Men (Lord Chamberlain's Men).