Plantin Story

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It’s 1555 in Antwerp, a thriving hub of trade and ideas, and the perfect place for an ambitious entrepreneur like you. The printing press is revolutionizing the world, and books are in high demand. They’re spreading knowledge and power—but more importantly, they’re making money.

You’re Christophe Plantin, and your goal is simple: make a fortune by tapping into the booming book market. The risks are high. One wrong move could cost you everything.

But the rewards? They could set you up for life. With ambition and determination, you’re ready to build a printing empire. Will you succeed? Or fall into the dangers of this high-stakes business?

Christophe Plantin

Born

1520, near Tours, France
Profession

Bookbinder and aspiring printer
Residence

Antwerp, city of opportunity

Goals

Run 26 printing presses.
Print 25,000 books in one year.
Make a lot of money

Biography

Christophe Plantin was born around 1520 in Touraine, France. His early years weren’t easy—he lost his mother as a child and was raised by a cleric in Lyon, where he gained a modest education. After apprenticing as a bookbinder in Lyon, he married and began building a trade. Paris, however, proved too risky for an ambitious printer, with harsh crackdowns on anything deemed heretical. In 1548, Plantin moved to Antwerp, a thriving center of trade and printing, hoping for a fresh start in a safer, more prosperous city.

Ever since the Renaissance kicked off in Italy, new ideas have been bubbling up all over Europe, and they’ve finally made their way to the Low Countries. Humanism’s the big thing. Scholars are hungry for knowledge, and books are flying off the shelves.

People want to learn, to debate, to challenge the old ways. And for a printer like you, that’s an opportunity to cash in. Print those humanist works, and you’ll be rolling in it.

Curious about the humanist works that started it all? You can see these up close at the Plantin-Moretus Museum

Pop the Bubbles

Humanist

Ideas

"Truth cannot be controlled by any one institution."
"The classics hold wisdom that can lead to progress."
"Education is the key to a better world."
"Reform, not repression, will bring true change."
“The power of reason can challenge all authority.”
“Knowledge belongs to all, not just the elite.”
"Human potential is limitless."

But then, there’s the Reformation. Things are heating up, and the Catholic Church is not a fan of all these new ideas. Printing religious texts that question the old order? That’s a quick way to get yourself in trouble, or worse, put on trial...

The Spanish rulers are keeping a close eye on what gets printed, and they’re not afraid to crack down on anything they don’t like. Sure, there’s a profit to be made, but it’s a risky game. One wrong move, and your business (and neck) could be on the line.

What do you do?

Who do you want to print for? Choose your business strategy.

In the Name of the Church (and Profit)

You’ve decided to print for the Church. The demand is steady, and you stay on the good side of the powerful Spanish rulers. Your business grows slowly but surely. You’re secure, but you never feel like you’re truly pushing boundaries. While others might be risking it all, you’re just getting by, quietly profiting but never fully reaching your potential.
Fuel the hungry brains

You choose to align with the humanists. They fund your printing press, and for a while, it’s smooth sailing. But the risk is always there—being caught by the Church could ruin everything. You’re forced to keep your operation small, operating under the radar. Your dream of a booming business never quite materializes, and your success remains limited to the shadows.
Play It Safe.
Play Both Sides.

You decide to take the risk and play both sides. Printing for the Church ensures stability, while secretly supporting the humanists feeds your intellectual ambitions. It’s a high-risk game, with close calls and constant balancing, but it pays off. Your business thrives, and you begin to gain influence. The danger of being caught is ever-present, but you’re determined to make it work.

Plantin's Choice

The year is 1555, and you're off to a strong start. With the printing press in full swing, you've got your first big break: humanists are funding your work. These forward-thinkers are eager to spread their ideas, and you've got the perfect setup to help them do just that. Religious books are the easy money, but it's the humanists who are willing to put their faith (and their cash) into your hands for something bigger: spreading knowledge and ideas that challenge the status quo.

Orders come pouring in, and your business starts to grow. You're printing faster than ever, and the cash is flowing in. You're quickly gaining a reputation, but with all that success, of course, comes danger....

ALERT ALERT ALERT ALERT ALERT

It’s 1562, and things are about to get messy...

You’ve been away in Paris, minding your business and securing deals when suddenly... bang! Your workshop gets raided. And it's bad. A pamphlet, one full of heretical content, was printed on your presses.

The authorities don’t care that you were in Paris, they’re coming for you now. The pamphlet’s got your name on it, and you know what that means: everything you’ve worked for is on the line. They swoop in, grabbing your presses, your books, everything in sight. Your equipment is gone, your books are gone, and just like that, your reputation is shot.

What do you do?

Fight back

Do you think you can take on the Catholic Church in a legal battle? Not in 1562, my friend. You try, but it’s a losing game. The Church has all the power, and you end up with nothing but a ruined reputation. And if you thought it would be a physical fight, you’re up against Philip II’s army. Spoiler: you don’t win.
Flee to Paris

It’s not the boldest move, but at least you make it out alive. You flee to Paris, laying low for almost two years. When you finally return to Antwerp, hoping to pick up the pieces, you find your assets sold off. You’re back to square one, with nothing but a reputation in tatters and a long road ahead.

Plantin's Choice
Turn yourself in

You yourself in and hope for mercy. But instead, you’re hit with a massive fine, forced to swear off heretical teachings, and sentenced to a life under house arrest. Your freedom is gone, and so is your future...

It seems the only way of having a chance at success, is going into hiding. When you return to Antwerp, everything has been sold off. Your presses, your equipment, your furniture—gone. But not everything is lost. With the help of some loyal friends and a few well-placed connections, you manage to buy back what you can.

It isn’t much, but it is enough. You rebuilt. Slowly, but surely. The business started to grow again, but the shadow of those heresy charges never quite disappeared. So, you find a way to get rid of them for once and for all... the Polyglot Bible

But, things aren’t over yet ...

Your journey as Plantin ends here, but his story is far from over. The Polyglot Bible is just the start. It's a masterpiece that leads to more successes, struggles, and daring decisions. Want to find out how he navigated the challenges and see his incredible work up close?

Visit the Plantin-Moretus Museum and explore the rest of his fascinating story!

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Introduction

Profile

Christophe Plantin

Born

Profession

Residence

Goals

Biography

Humanists

Humanist

Ideas

Reformation

What do you do?

In the Name of the Church (and Profit)

Fuel the hungry brains

Play It Safe.Play Both Sides.

Printing

Start Printing

Heretics

What do you do?

Fight back

Flee to Paris

Turn yourself in

Hiding

Closure

Play It Safe.
Play Both Sides.