At this time, Motohiro KONOE and his son, Iehiro, were in conflict with the Retired Emperor Reigen, who headed a cloistered government and was a maternal relative of Ienobu TOKUGAWA, the Seii Taishogun (literally, "great general who subdues the barbarians") of the Edo bakufu (Japanese feudal government headed by a shogun), and by having Iehiro's daughter made a nyogo (emperor's consort) wielded immense power within the Imperial court.
当時、近衛基熙・家熙父子が江戸幕府征夷大将軍徳川家宣の外戚である事を背景として院政を行っていた霊元上皇と対立し、家熙の娘を中御門天皇の女御にするなど朝廷内で絶大な力を振るっていた。