His mother was Etsushi (she held the title of Naishi no suke (a court lady of the first rank) and the wet nurse of Emperor Toba), who was the daughter of FUJIWARA no Suetsuna, who was the Echigo no kami (Provincial Governor of Echigo).
母は越後守・藤原季綱の女、悦子（典侍、鳥羽天皇の乳母）。