Ivan Fedorov - first printer: a biography of a great man

A significant event in the domestic and world history is the invention of printing. In Russia, this innovation came in the 16th century. One of the figures whose name is associated with the appearance of printing in the times of Ivan the Terrible is the famous Ivan Fedorov. It is familiar not only to adults and enlightened people the history of this person. Biography Ivan Fedorov - first printer - for children is available for study at school.

How did it all start?

Each person in history has an interesting and unique line of his own destiny. Life sometimes takes unexpected turns. Everyone faced this. And, of course, not an exception - and a pioneer in the field of Russian printing.

Biography of Ivan Fedorov - the first printer - begins with a legend. The chronological scope of his appearance varies from 1510 to 1530. Strangely enough, there is no reliable information about where the first printer was born and spent his childhood. But, in all probability, this happened in the Kaluga province. There is information that he was the deacon of the Church of St. Nicholas of Gostunsky. He taught literacy, like many clergymen in churches. Already in 1532 he graduated from Cracow University. This is evidenced by the fact that the first printer had a bachelor's degree.

Church service

As a result of his activities met with the Metropolitan Makarii printer Ivan Fyodorov. A brief biography says that, perhaps, it gave the impetus to the fact that soon the first Russian Tsar Fedorov would entrust such an important task as the printing of the first book - "The Apostle".

As you know, Makarii was close to Ivan the Terrible, and, noticing a talented young man, could contribute to his further destiny.

Under the order of the tsar in the 1550s, work began on the development of the first Moscow printing house. The fonts and other equipment necessary for the functioning of the printing business were selected in a special way. Initially, the enterprises were anonymous. But then this business began to spread widely.

The appearance of the first Russian book - the "Apostle"

Biography Ivan Fedorov, the first printer, for children prepared, mainly tells about the creation of the first printed book. In 1564 the first Russian printed book appeared in the Slavonic language - "Apostle". Active participation in its appearance was accepted by Ivan Fedorov and his assistants - Peter Mstislavets and Marousha Nerefyev. Preparations for this event took about a year. Completion of the work was marked by success, since this specimen was much better than previous books on their qualities. This work received the blessing of Metropolitan Macarius, but, unfortunately, Macarius did not live up to the time when the "Apostle" was published.
This is what Ivan Fedorov, the first printer, is famous for. Biography for children, it happens, focuses only on this.

But, of course, one book did not stop there. The printing industry has become more widespread. In 1565 at the behest of Ivan the Terrible was to issue another liturgical book called "Hours." This involved Peter Mstislavets and Ivan Fedorov (first printer). Biography indicates that two copies were made. Subsequently, it has been of great benefit to society. Various prayers and songs were recorded there. A daily church rite was performed on them. But the main thing is that it was she who started to teach reading.

Persecution of first printers

But the situation actually escalated. Many were unprofitable development of printing. First, to the census-takers, who, in fact, lost their office, and consequently, their money profit. Also, the upper strata of the population were dissatisfied, they feared that raising the level of public education would subsequently lead to the fact that they would lose their privileges. The people risked to appear ideas that would help arrange a riot against officials, landlords, clergy and so on. There was another opinion that in the manuscript books, since this is the hard work of a particular person, the soul was invested. And printing on machines did not carry such properties, and was taken for something unclean. The biography of Ivan Fedorov, the printer, tells of the difficult position of the figure.

The culmination was a fire that occurred in 1566 in the printing house. Moreover, the activities of the pioneers in book printing were considered heresy. After this event, it was decided that the first printers, including Peter Mstislavets and Ivan Fedorov, should go to Lithuania.

Work in Lithuania

In Zabludov, the estate of Hetman Khodkevich, a printing house was organized. The first book, published from this printing house, was the "Teaching Gospel." Subsequently, the book was named Zabludovsky. This significant event occurred in 1568-1569. Again, work was directed by the same pioneers. But the further activity of these people is disconnected. As the brief biography of Ivan Fedorov, the first printer, explains, he remains and continues to work in Zabludov. Peter Mstislavets also goes to Vilna. As a result of work in Zabludovo, Ivan Fedorov, the book "Psalter with the Hoursler" is being created.

But here fate presented another unpleasant surprise, which faced Ivan Fedorov (first printer). The biography reads as follows. Khodasevich because of old age, unwillingness to take part in the organization of the printing yard, lack of a large amount of money decided to stop the printing house. Khodasevich proposes to engage in farming Ivan Fedorov, but he refuses, because he considers himself not intended for such a thing. He left Zabludovo by 1573.

Moving to Lviv

A brief biography of Ivan Fedorov, the first printer, indicates that he himself had to transport all the instruments necessary for the functioning of the printing business. Here, the man managed to organize his own printing press. The work was rediscovered, and in 1574 the first printed book in Ukraine - "Apostle", the same name with the Moscow copy - was published. In content, it is also similar to the one that was released back in 1564. True, here something was added. For example, several introductory texts. At the end, there was a content interesting afterword, which was personally composed by Ivan Fedorov, the first printer. Biography has preserved the lines: "This story shows where it started and how this printing was created." This was the title of the afterword. The work of Ivan Fedorov accomplished about a thousand reprints of the "Apostle". This meant that book printing developed not only in Russia, but also in the territory of modern Ukraine.

In 1574, the Ivan Fyodorov printing house publishes the "ABC" - the first East Slavic textbook, of which we have repeatedly heard. The books were small in size and contained all that is necessary for the study of reading and writing.

Ostroh Bible

Then the next event occurs. In 1575 he received an invitation from Konstantin Ostrozhsky Ivan Fedorov, the first printer. The biography of the prince calls him one of the richest personalities of the Polish-Lithuanian state. There was a proposal to set up a new printing house in Ostrog on Volyn, that is, in the estate of Konstantin Ostrozhsky. The prince himself cared about the development of science and education in their lands. There was even organized an Orthodox school. In 1578 another "Azbuka" comes out, for which the first printer Ivan Fedorov was responsible. Brief biography adds that a year earlier work begins on the famous "Bible", which was published in 1580.
Even more important is that it is the first fully published Bible written in the Church Slavonic language.

Sunset of life

In 1582, the first printer Ivan Fyodorov returned to his native Lviv. He wants to continue his work. But the plan can not be fully implemented. In 1583 he left this light. He was buried in the Holy Onufriyev Monastery, and a plate with the inscription "The Drunker (ie, the printer) of books before the unprecedented ones" was placed over the grave. It is this title that Ivan Fedorov, the first printer, assigns.

The biography for children and adults ends here. The memory of the great book printer is forever preserved in Russian history.