Nikolaus Mollyn

Nikolaus Mollyn (Latvian: Nikolajs Mollīns, c. 1550/1555 – 1625)[a] was a book printer, the first to establish a printing press in Riga.

Born in Antwerp, he left his home region, probably due to increasing religious unrest in the area, and settled in Riga in 1588.

[2] A Protestant like his father, Nikolaus Mollyn however left Antwerp in connection with the growing religious unrest in the area and initially settled in Amsterdam around 1586–1587.

[7][8] Mollyn had been invited to Riga by David Hilchen, who was syndic or legal advisor to the city council, and a writer and Renaissance humanist.

[1] Mollyn's house (since vanished) and workshop was located on present-day Krāmu iela [lv] (Kramu Street).

In the same year his daughter married, and together with his son-in-law he also branched out into operating a proper book shop, with the approval of the council.

As the Swedes also opened new schools in Riga and Tallinn, and later a university in Tartu, his business opportunities in the greater region also expanded.

[19] An amount of scientific books and history also left his presses, as well as a detailed copper engraving view of Riga dated 1612.