Johannes Gutenberg was born in 1400 in Mainz. A German goldsmith and printer from Mainz, Gutenberg is credited with introducing movable-type printing to Europe in the middle of the fifteenth century. He developed a system of casting metal type in moulds, an oil-based ink and a press adapted from those used for wine and paper. The Gutenberg Bible, printed around 1455, is his best-known product and is celebrated for its quality. He was in financial difficulty and lost his equipment to his creditor, Johann Fust, and little is documented about his life. The spread of printing made books cheaper and helped drive the Renaissance, the Reformation and the Scientific Revolution.
Before and after
- 14th centuryConstruction of Mausoleum of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi
- from 14th century to 17th centuryRenaissance
- 14th centuryPublication of Water Margin
- from 14th century to 16th centuryRise of Devotio Moderna
- 1400Birth of Johannes Gutenberg
- c. 1400sThe moa are hunted to extinction in New Zealand
- 25 October 1400Death of Geoffrey Chaucer
- 15th centuryConstruction of Santa Maria delle Grazie
- 1402Construction of Charles Bridge
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The era
This moment belongs to the Medieval world (500 CE to 1500 CE), kingdoms, faiths and trade routes. You can also browse everything in the 14th century.