That is, the Imperial Court at that time was still led by pro-Tokugawa upper-graded court nobles such as regent Nijo and the Imperial Prince Kuninomiya Asahiko (also called Nakagawa no Miya; after Meiji Restoration, he was known as Kuni no Miya).
つまりこの時期の朝廷は、二条摂政や久邇宮朝彦親王（中川宮、維新後久邇宮）ら親徳川派上級公家によってなお主導されていた。