Gutenberg

c. 1400–1468 — Germany

Era: Early Modern

Brilliance: 9/10 | Stewardship: 8/10 | Composite Index: 72

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"The ink of the scholar is more sacred than the blood of the martyr."

Biography

Johannes Gutenberg revolutionized human communication by inventing movable type printing in Europe, making books affordable and accessible to the masses. His printing press sparked the Renaissance, Reformation, and Scientific Revolution by democratizing knowledge and literacy across continents.

Key Facts

His Gutenberg Bible was the first major book printed with movable type in the West
The printing press reduced book production time from months to days
He kept his printing techniques secret and was sued by business partner Johann Fust
Died in relative poverty despite creating one of history's most important inventions
His press design remained largely unchanged for 350 years

One machine launched the Information Age 500 years early

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