He gained vassals such as Katamori MATSUDAIRA, Kyoto shugoshoku (Military governor of Kyoto), and Sadaaki MATSUDAIRA, Kyoto shoshidai (The Kyoto deputy), and he worked independently from the cabinet officials of the Shogunate in Edo and took the leadership role in the bakufu forces stationed in Kyoto.
配下に京都守護職の松平容保、京都所司代の松平定敬らを従え、江戸の幕閣達から独立した動きをみせ、在京幕府勢力の指導的役割を果たす存在となった。