Why did the church attack Mainz for printing books?

score:12

Accepted answer

The raid was not against Gutenberg or the printing press directly - but only indirectly because he and his printers refused to support the winner in an intra-church rivalry.

The Pope had named one candidate (Adolf II von Nassau) for the Archbishopric of Mainz, while the city and cathedral chapter had elected Diether von Isenberg. Adolf successfully raided the city, and confiscated the property of all those who had supported his rival. Gutenberg and his printers had supported Diether, and subsequently refused to support Adolf. Consequently they were driven out of town.

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