Gelawdewos succeeded to the throne soon after his father's death on 2 September 1540. Despite his youth, over the next few months he made several successful attacks on the Somali garrisons in northern Ethiopia. These lifted the morale of the restive Christian Ethiopians, and upon arriving in Semien, he was surrounded by the apostates and others who had joined the Imam who sought his clemency. Soon after the young Emperor crossed the Tekezé, to observe Easter in Sard. Garad Emar, Ahmad Gragn's governor of Ganz, assumed that Galawdewos' lieutenants would be away at their homes to celebrate the holiday, so picked this date to strike; according to Bruce, these plans were quickly communicated to Gelawdewos, who was able to prepare his own response.