The head of the main line of the Northern House at the time was FUJIWARA no Nagate, who was his older brother promoted to minister, and it was largely attributable to his talent that he was promoted to chief councilor of state in the late Nara period, when the balance among the clans was sought and assuming important positions by a father and son, or brothers, was still highly criticized.
また、当時の北家の嫡流は大臣にまで昇っていた兄の藤原永手であり、氏族間の均衡が望まれて親子・兄弟で要職を占めることに批判がなお強かった奈良時代後期において大納言まで昇った事はその才覚による部分が大きいと言える。