▁was ▁the ▁sw amp y ▁valley ▁of ▁a ▁river ▁named ▁R ax a , ▁which ▁has ▁been ▁identified ▁as ▁either ▁the ▁Re ck nitz ▁or ▁El de ▁river . ▁ ▁Battle ▁According ▁to ▁Tim othy ▁Re uter , ▁Otto ▁I ' s ▁army ▁of ▁the ▁day ▁was ▁drawn ▁from ▁every ▁reg num ▁( du chy ) ▁of ▁the ▁German ▁kingdom , ▁even ▁Boh emia . ▁According ▁to ▁W id uk ind ▁of ▁Cor vey , ▁who ▁gave ▁the ▁only ▁surv iving ▁detailed ▁record ▁of ▁the ▁battle , ▁Otto ▁I ' s ▁campaign ▁came ▁to ▁a ▁halt ▁at ▁the ▁bank ▁of ▁the ▁R ax a ▁river , ▁where ▁the ▁Ob ot rit es ▁and ▁their ▁al lies , ▁led ▁by ▁Sto ign iew ▁( Sto ine f ), ▁had ▁taken ▁a ▁def ensive ▁position ▁on ▁the ▁opposite ▁emb ank ment . ▁Otto ' s ▁marg ra ve ▁G ero , ▁together ▁with ▁the ▁al lied ▁tribe ▁of ▁the ▁Ru ani ▁– ▁most ▁probably ▁the ▁earliest ▁mention ▁of ▁the ▁R ani ▁– ▁secret ly ▁moved ▁to ▁a ▁distinct ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁river ▁to ▁build ▁three ▁brid ges , ▁while ▁a ▁fe int ▁assault ▁by ▁the ▁remaining ▁forces ▁dist ract ed ▁Sto ign iew ' s ▁army . ▁Sto ign iew ▁realized ▁too ▁late ▁that ▁Otto ' s ▁forces ▁were ▁already ▁crossing ▁the ▁river ▁on ▁another ▁side , ▁and ▁the ▁en su ing ▁encounter ▁was ▁won ▁by ▁the ▁latter . ▁ ▁The ▁fate ▁of ▁Sto ign iew ▁is ▁described ▁by ▁both ▁W id uk ind ▁of