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In the 12th century, the Sprevane were the last Slavonic tribe, resisting the German expansion east of River Elbe. In 1147, their leader, Jaxa of Köpenick was defeated by his German opponent, Albert the Bear.
Legend has it that Jaxa tried to flee across river Havel, but was about to drown, when his horse died under him. Praying to all of his Slavonic Gods did not seem to save him. Thus, desperately, he asked his opponent's God, the God of the Christians, to save him and then, miraculously gained the strength to swim to the shore.
Finally save ashore, Jaxa put down his shield and said, "Jaxa won't fight anymore, Jaxa is now Christian."
Until this day, the year of Jaxa's defeat and Conversion to Christianity is hailed as the foundation of the German state of Brandenburg.
There is no historical evidence to the story, but it had been urban folklore at least since the 1500s. At different times, the conversion-story was told about different people, but in 1841, Prussian king Frederick William IV, also called "The Romantic on the Throne" carved the legend in stone, ordering a monument to be built at a small headland called the Schildhorn (German for Shield and Horn).
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 Jaxa, fleeing across river Havel, Woodcut, 1868
 Schildhorn Monument
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