in his later years, zara yaqob became more despotic. when takla hawariat, abbot of dabra libanos, criticized yaqob's beatings and murder of men, the emperor had the abbot himself beaten and imprisoned, where he died after few months. zara yaqob was convinced of a plot against him in 1453, which led to more brutal actions. he increasingly became convinced that his wife and children were plotting against him, and had several of them beaten. seyon morgasa, the mother of the future emperor baeda maryam i, died from this mistreatment in 1462, which led to a complete break between son and father. eventually relations between the two were repaired, and zara yaqob publicly designated baeda maryam as his successor.