Haile Maryam tried to hold his hereditary possessions in the face of continuous pressure from rival lords during Ethiopia's Zemene Mesafint era.
However, Ras Gugsa's expansionist drive to subdue Semien came to an end when Haile Maryam defeated his retainer Woldi Comfu in Welkait.
His brother Batri Gebre, and Asgas Sedit, the chief of Arbarcholo, his women, servants, and a great number of horses were captured.
Haile Maryam forged an alliance with his rival Maru of the house Fenja, against the new Ras Yimam, Gugsa's successor.
Haile Maryam fought the coalition forces of Yimam's and Maru in a pitched battle near Waldeba that lasted over three days and was defeated.