Louis the Springer

Louis the Springer
Louis' grave stone in the Wartburg
Spouse(s)	Adelheid of Stade
Noble family	Ludowingians
Father
Mother	Cecliy of Sangerhousen
Born	1042
Died	1123
Buried	Wartburg

Louis the Springer (German: Ludwig der Springer), sometimes called Louis the Jumper, or Louis the Leaper, also known as Louis of Schauenburg (1042 – 1123 in Reinhardsbrunn) was a German nobleman. He was the ruling count of Thuringia from 1056 until his death. Little is known about him, although he is mentioned in many legends.

Louis was a son of and a member of the Franconian noble Ludowingians dynasty. He was baptized in the parish church in Altenbergen (today part of Leinatal). Around 1080, Louis and his brother Beringe founded the Schönrain Priory. In a document dated 1100, the two brothers are called of Schauenburg, after a castle which their father had built near Friedrichroda.

It is generally assumed that Louis the Springer built the Wartburg, which became the nucleus of the Landgraviate of Thuringia. Louis himself did not use the title of Landgrave; his son Louis I was the first member of the dynasty to use that title.

According to legend, Louis received his nickname "the Jumper" when he boldly leaped into a river. He was attempting to take possession of the County Palatine of Saxony, that is, the area west of the river Saale and north of the Unstrut. To this end, he stabbed the ruling Count Palatine, Frederick III. He was arrested and incarcerated in Giebichenstein Castle in Halle. After three years in captivity, he expected to be executed. He escaped by leaping from the castle tower into the river Saale, where a servant was waiting for him with a boat and his favourite horse, a snow-white horse named Swan. As atonement for murdering Frederick, he built the St. Ulrici church in Sangerhausen and later he founded Reinhardsbrunn Abbey, which became the family abbey of the Ludowingians.