On This Day

Johannes Gutenberg prints his first Bible [estimated date] [1]

The Gutenberg Bible, also known as the 42-line Bible, the Mazarin Bible or the B42, was the earliest major book printed in Europe using mass-produced metal movable type.

The Gutenberg Bible, also known as the 42-line Bible, the Mazarin Bible or the B42, was the earliest major book printed in Europe using mass-produced metal movable type. It marked the start of the "Gutenberg Revolution" and the age of printed books in the West. The book is valued and revered for its high aesthetic and artistic qualities and its historical significance. The Gutenberg Bible is an edition of the Latin Vulgate printed in the 1450s by Johannes Gutenberg in Mainz (Holy Roman Empire), in present-day Germany. Out of either 158 or 180 copies that were originally printed, 49 survive in at least substantial portion, 21 of them in entirety; of these, the copy with the earliest visible print date is marked as 15 August 1456.

Historical Significance

The Gutenberg Bible, also known as the 42-line Bible, the Mazarin Bible or the B42, was the earliest major book printed in Europe using mass-produced metal movable type.

Key People

Johannes Gutenberg

inventor and craftsman

German inventor and craftsman

Events Before

  1. Duke of Burgundy Charles the Bold weds second wife Isabella of Bourbon

    Duke of Burgundy Charles the Bold weds second wife Isabella of Bourbon

  2. In the Thirteen Years' War, the Secret Council of the Prussian Confederation sends a formal act of disobedience to the G

    In the Thirteen Years' War, the Secret Council of the Prussian Confederation sends a formal act of disobedience to the Grand Master

  3. Siege of Malbork, including its castle, seat of the Teutonic Order begun by Polish and Prussian forces - captured Septem

    Siege of Malbork, including its castle, seat of the Teutonic Order begun by Polish and Prussian forces - captured September 1454

  4. Thirteen Years' War: Delegates of the Prussian Confederation pledge allegiance to the Grand Duke of Lithuania and King o

    Thirteen Years' War: Delegates of the Prussian Confederation pledge allegiance to the Grand Duke of Lithuania and King of Poland, Casimir IV, who agrees to help in their struggle for independence from the Teutonic Knights

  5. Milan and Venice sign peace of Lodi

    The Treaty of Lodi, or Peace of Lodi, was a peace agreement which brought to an end the Wars in Lombardy between the Venetian Republic and the Duchy of Milan, signed in the city of Lodi on 9 April...

Events After

  1. Hungarian army under John Hunyadi defeats the forces of Ottoman Sultan Mehmed II and ends the Siege of Belgrade (Nándorf

    Hungarian army under John Hunyadi defeats the forces of Ottoman Sultan Mehmed II and ends the Siege of Belgrade (Nándorfehérvár), halting Ottoman expansion in Europe for 70 years

  2. Earthquake strikes Naples, killing an estimated 35,000 people

    Earthquake strikes Naples, killing an estimated 35,000 people

  3. Prince Louis of Bourbon elected Bishop of Liege

    Prince Louis of Bourbon elected Bishop of Liege

  4. Louis de Bourbon becomes Prince-Bishop of Liège

    Louis de Bourbon becomes Prince-Bishop of Liège

  5. 23rd recorded perihelion passage of Halley's Comet

    23rd recorded perihelion passage of Halley's Comet

More from the 1450s

Frequently Asked Questions

What happened on February 23, 1455?
The Gutenberg Bible, also known as the 42-line Bible, the Mazarin Bible or the B42, was the earliest major book printed in Europe using mass-produced metal movable type. It marked the start of the "Gutenberg Revolution" and the age of printed books in the West. The book is valued and revered for its high aesthetic and artistic qualities and its historical significance.
Why is Johannes Gutenberg prints his first Bible [estimated date] [1] significant?
The Gutenberg Bible, also known as the 42-line Bible, the Mazarin Bible or the B42, was the earliest major book printed in Europe using mass-produced metal movable type.
Who was involved in Johannes Gutenberg prints his first Bible [estimated date] [1]?
Key figures include Johannes Gutenberg (inventor and craftsman).

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