During the handpress era (roughly 1450–1800), and especially in the 16th century, the Southern Netherlands (corresponding largely to what is now Belgium) was an international centre for the printing of books and images. There were printers in many of the towns, and some towns had many printers.
The laws of Charles V required all printers and booksellers to acquire a license in order to exercise their trade, a requirement that was in place through the subsequent period of Spanish rule. His son, Philip II of Spain, further ordered that the Antwerp printers enrol with the Guild of St Luke, adding another layer of control. The business records of one of the most important printing houses of the era, the Plantin Office in Antwerp, have remained intact, and are now the archive of the Plantin-Moretus Museum. As a result, the records of who was involved in printing are extremely accessible to historians and have been much studied.
This list is arranged alphabetically by town. Booksellers or print publishers who did not own a printing press but who commissioned printing under their own name are included. Some of the dates given are approximate. As of January 2015 the list is largely limited to printers who were active at some point during the rule of the Archdukes Albert and Isabella (1598–1621).
Antwerp
Antwerp was the most important centre of printing in the Spanish Netherlands and had the best connections with international markets. The following printers and booksellers were active in Antwerp. Andreas Bacx, active 1578–1614 Anthoni Ballo, active 1591–1618 Balthazar Bellerus, active 1589; moved to Douai, active 1590–1634 Joannes Bellerus, active 1553–1595 Widow of Joannes Bellerus (Elisabeth Commers), active 1595–1616 Lucas Bellerus, active 1574–1600 Petrus Bellerus, active 1562–1600 Gilles Beys, active 1590–1594; moved to Paris, active 1594–1595 Jacob Bosselaer, active 1595–1608 Peter de Cater, active 1585–1598; moved to Amsterdam, active 1601–1612 François de Cauwe, active 1594–1610 Hendrik de Clerck, active 1585–1597 Joannes Cnobbaert, active 1620–1637 Widow of Joannes Cnobbaert (Maria de Man), active 1637–1664 Michiel Cnobbaert, active 1657–1689 Hieronymus Cock, active 1548–1570 Arnout Coninx, active 1579–1617 Gillis Coppens van Diest, active 1573–1609 Volcxken Diericx, active 1551–1600 Gaspard Fleysben, active 1588 Widow of John Fowler, active 1579–1586; moved to Douai, active 1586–1602 Philip Galle, active 1564–1612 Jan (III) van Ghelen, active 1577–1598; moved to Maastricht, active 1598–1605; moved to Rotterdam, active 1606–1610 Joannes Grapheus, active 1520–1569 Claes de Grave, active 1511–1540 Michiel Hillen van Hoochstraten, c. 1476–1558 Marten Huyssens, active 1582–1620 Guislain Janssens, active 1587–1619 Cornelis De Jode, active 1591–1600 Gerard de Jode, active 1547–1591 Jan van Keerbergen, active 1586–1624 Merten de Keyser / Martin Lempereur, active 1525–1536 Widow of Merten de Keyser, active 1536–1541 Widow of Peter van Keerbergen, active 1592–1594 Willem Lesteens, active 1612–1654 Mynken Liefrink, active 1567–1593 Hans van Liesvelt, active 1545–1564 Jacob van Liesvelt, active 1513–1544 Widow of Jacob van Liesvelt, active 1546–1566 Herman Mersman, active 1572–1591 Jacob Mesens, active 1592–1625 Mattheus Mesens, active 1581–1595 Gauthier Morberius, active 1553–1555; moved to Liège, active 1558–1595 Jan Moretus, active 1589–1610 François de Nus, active 1592–1593 Martinus Nutius, father, son and grandson, active 1540–1638 Philippus Nutius (printer), active 1564—1586 Abraham Ortelius, active 1547–1598 Widow of Willem van Parijs, active 1586–1595 Petrus Phalesius the Elder, active 1581–1629 Christopher Plantin, active 1548–1589 Guillaume Rivière, active 1575–1584; moved to Arras, active 1591–1627 Gerard Rivius, active 1598; moved to Leuven, active 1598–1625 Mattheus van Roye, active 1560–1591 Thomas Ruault, active 1591–1592 Anthonis Spierinckx, active 1584–1616 Gillis Steelsius, active 1570–1610 Pauwels Stroobant, active 1596–1617 Willem Stroobant, active 1592–1595 and 1610–1617; moved to Lille, active 1596–1598 Gommarus Sulsenius, active 1594–1625 Hendrik Swingen, active 1587–1601 Ameet Tavernier, active 1583–1593 Artus Tavernier, active 1580; moved to Salamanca, active 1604–1615 Antheunis Thielens, active 1564–1596 Peter van Tongheren, active 1580–1602 Caesar Joachim Trognaesius, active 1624–1645 Joachim Trognaesius, active 1583–1620 Hieronymus Verdussen, active 1579–1635 Abraham Verhoeven, active 1605–1632 Daniel Vervliet, active 1564–1610 Widow of Jan Verwithagen, active 1588–1592 Jan Verwithagen the younger, active 1588–1599 Willem Vorsterman, active 1504–1542 Jan Baptist Vrients, active 1575–1611 Gerard van Wolschaten, active 1596–1634 Hendrik Wouters, active 1571–1592