William Caxton

William Caxton (c. 1422–c. 1491) was an English merchant who introduced printing to England. Settled in Bruges, he learned the craft in Cologne and set up a press with Colard Mansion, and in 1473 printed his translation of the Recuyell of the Historyes of Troye, the first book printed in English. Margaret of York, Duchess of Burgundy, had encouraged him to complete the translation.

In 1476 he established England's first press at Westminster, issuing Chaucer's Canterbury Tales, Malory's Le Morte d'Arthur in 1485, and many translations of his own. He died in 1491.