As his elder brothers, Shigemori and Munemori, behaved indecisively toward Goshirakawa, it appears that Kiyomori placed his expectations on Tomomori and, therefore, called him 'much-loved son' ("Gyokuyo" (Kanezane KUJO's diary)).
兄の重盛・宗盛は後白河に対して優柔不断であったため、清盛は知盛に期待をかけたらしく「最愛之息」と呼ばれた（『玉葉』）。