Faust Vrančić (Faustus Verantius, Fausto Veranzio, Faustus Verancsics) (1551-1617) is a Croatian polyhistor, cosmopolite, inventor, linguist and bishop. His persona developed and shaped in the Renaissance atmosphere, thus he realized himself in different life aspects in line with the characteristics of the time in which he lived. The variety and wide range of his intellectual interests testify that Vrančić in the true sense embodied a Renaissance erudit, an educated man of versatile interests, described by the term homo universalis. In the public, he is most often perceived as a world inventor, as in his most significant projects published in the work Machinae novae Vrančić proves to be ahead of his time, while his importance crosses the epoch limits.

He was born on January 1, 1551 in Šibenik, in a distinguished noble family as a child of  Mihovil Vrančić and Katarina (maiden name Dobrojević). The family was related to the Croatian ban Petar Berislavić and bishop Ivan Statilić, a diplomat and a prominent legal expert, engaged in the judicial proceedings concerning the divorce of Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon.