[13] As a result, the Ottomans were left with domain over Massawa, Arqiqo, and some of the nearby coastal environs, which were soon transferred to the control of Beja Na'ibs (deputies).

Özdemir Pasha had the rare chance to meet Sultan Suleiman in person within the private gardens of Topkapı Palace.

There, he proposed a strategy to build on recent successes in Yemen by expanding Ottoman influence along the African coast of the Red Sea.

The sultan found Ozdemir's argument persuasive, and before the year ended, he was dispatched to Egypt with approval to assemble an expeditionary force of several thousand troops.

[16] Following the Imam's reverse after the Battle of Jarte in 1542 they had sent him badly needed aid in the form of matchlockmen sent to Adal at a time when firearms in the region were rare: 10 cannons with artillery men, as well as many as 900 gunmen in 1542.

However, the surviving Portuguese forces teamed up with an Ethiopian contingent led by Gelawdewos and the Christian army was able to decisively defeat the Muslims in the Battle of Wayna Daga.

First, they captured Massawa, Hirgigo and Beylul then moved inland and captured the regional capital of Debarwa from the Abyssinian Kingdom, he built masjids, a large mosque, and "established a fort [...] with 'a long wall and very high tower... filled with vases of gold and silver, precious stones", and other valuables that were obtained by looting, extractions on trade, and the imposition of a poll tax on the local population.

[23] As a result, the Ottoman forces abandoned the fort and retreated to Massawa, but was attacked and defeated by the local peasants who "captured all their goods".

[23] The Ottomans at this point made a change in tactics, opting to pit Ethiopian rulers against each other in order to achieve their conquest, rather than invading unilaterally.

Sarsa Dengel then seized the vast riches stored by the Turks in Debarwa and ordered the destruction of the mosque and the fort that was erected during the Ottoman occupation.

[31][32] According to Ottoman sources, the Ethiopians then took Arqiqo and managed to destroy Massawa's fort as well as kill 40 of its 100 defenders, though it failed to take the city.

[40] One such raid was defeated, which angered the Pasha of Massawa, who decided to impound goods at the port meant for the Emperor until 62 muskets taken from his men were returned.

[45] In later interactions in the mid-18th century, the Na'ib would prevail over Iyasu II through his threat of killing Ethiopian clergy impounded in Massawa as a retaliation for cutting off food.

[46] When the Ottomans surrendered the fort of Debarwa to Emperor Sarsa Dengel after his victory over them at the Battle of Addi Qarro, they fired cannons as ceremonial salutation.

This caught the imaginations of the Emperor's troops and inspired the Ethiopian tradition of firing cannons on notable occasions which continues to this day.