In March 1516, Cảo proclaimed himself "Đế Thích giáng trần" ("incarnation of Śakra") and recruited fighters at Quynh Lam Pagoda in Đông Triều, a religious site reputed to have miraculous powers.
After shaving their heads, he marched them unopposed, ten thousand strong, through the Kinh Bac districts of Que Duong and Tiên Du down to the plains of Gia Lâm to Từ Liêm in Sơn Tây Province.
Thereafter, the Lê loyalists attacked and recaptured Thăng Long and made Cảo retreat back to his Hai Duong-Kinh Bac border stronghold.
Then, a long war was resulted between the Lê loyalists and Cảo's rebels.
Before 1525, the year of Trần Cảo rebellion's ultimate defeat, Cảo unexpectedly gave his commanding post to his son, Tran Cung (or Tran Thang), and then became a monk.