Baby boys born to Gishi were all adopted by other families out of consideration to Yorimichi's legal wife, MINAMOTO no Takahime and the legitimate son FUJIWARA no Michifusa (the biological mother however was not MINAMOTO no Takahime); however, Michifusa, the older brother of Morozane born to a different mother, suddenly died after the birth of Morozane, and Morozane therefore was appointed to be the successor of the family headship.
祇子所生の男子は頼通の正室源隆姫と嫡男藤原通房（ただし、生母は別の女性である）への配慮から全員他家への養子に出されていたが、師実の誕生から程なく異母兄・通房が急死ししたため、師実が後継者に立てられた。