His father Emperor Gosanjo expected a son with MINAMOTO no Motoko who had no maternal relation with the Fujiwara family as the successor of the throne rather than his elder other Imperial Prince Sadahito (later became Emperor Shirakawa) who had a collateral line of the Northern House of the Fujiwara clan.
父・後三条天皇は、傍流とはいえ藤原北家の血を引く長男の貞仁親王（白河天皇）よりも同家と外戚関係を有しない源基子との子供に皇位継承候補者として期待をかけた。