And to avoid bringing him envy, jealousy, and the plotting that was naturally prevalent in the Abyssinian court, and perhaps also because the Emperor was still ruling at that time. The Emperor suffered another cerebral hemorrhage that led to his paralysis. In August 1909, an imperial decree announced Lij's succession to the throne and the appointment of a regent for him. At that time, the Emperor was lying motionless, and his wife, Empress Taytu, took the reins of government, a situation that necessarily led to the creation of centers of power and conflicting interests, competing to protect their interests and strike down their rivals. The control and influence of the Empress, who hailed from the region of Gondar, led to a sense of danger among the leaders and nobles of Shoa, as they saw her dominance as an attempt to restore the center of power to the north. These gathered in defense of their interests, and among them were the senior military commanders of Menelik, his provincial governors, a number of ambitious young nobles, and others who were harmed by the Empress's decisions and removed from their positions. In contrast, Taytu had a strong and influential personality. Throughout Menelik's reign, she played significant roles and accompanied him in all his battles and journeys. She was known for her hatred of Europeans and her constant suspicion of them. Some historical sources mention that she was behind the Emperor's decision to abrogate the Treaty of Wuchale, a decision that led Italy to launch a war. Taytu sought to secure her position by creating a network of intermarriage to ensure her political future. The most important of these was the marriage of the Emperor's eldest daughter, Zewditu, to a former wife's nephew, Ras Makonnen. Zewditu was a candidate to succeed her father, and according to imperial traditions, her husband would be her regent. She strongly supported Zewditu's candidacy against the Emperor's choice of Iyasu. She also made many appointments and dismissals, strengthening the position of her supporters. In the early years of the Emperor's illness until her removal, she held the reins of power and presided over the Crown Council. In what resembled a coup, the steps to remove and sideline the Empress began. Her chances of continuing and succeeding were diminished by the fact that most of her military supporters were far from the capital, especially her brother Ras Walel, who was stationed in the north, and her nephew, who was governing the province of Gondar in the west.