His father FUJIWARA no Yoritada, his grandfather FUJIWARA no Saneyori and his great-grandfather FUJIWARA no Tadahira (also called Lord Teishin) served as chancellors and grand ministers of state, and his mother was Princess Genshi, the grandchild of Emperor Daigo.
父は関白太政大臣藤原頼忠、祖父は関白太政大臣藤原実頼、曾祖父は関白太政大臣藤原忠平（貞信公）、母は醍醐天皇の孫、厳子女王。