The French explorer Arnaud d'Abbadie, described him thus:[1] Sahala Dinguil, an old man of about seventy years, had a colored complexion almost as fair as that of a European, with frizzy white hair like snow, a high and smooth forehead, a lively eye, a full and beardless face; his whole person, a bit common, was imbued with a sensual joviality.
Eduard Rüppell, who visited the capital of Gondar in 1833, stated that at the time the Emperor "barely had the income of an averagely well-to-do Ethiopian, and the great princes of the Tigray, Shewa and Amhara were unable to prevent continuous strife and bloodshed.
Ras Ali recalled Gebre Krestos from Mitraha, an island in northeastern Lake Tana, and restored him as Emperor.
About that same time, one Egwale Anbesa announced his claim to the throne; Sahle Dengel cut his head off, and set it in a tree at Adababay.
Eventually Menen Liben Amede gained the upper hand in the Battle of Chenti Ber (October, 1839), defeating and capturing Kinfu's relative Walda Tekle.