Tsunemune showed a signal of allegiance to the Retired Emperor Goshirakawa saying 'There should be no difference between the retired emperor and the emperor' (Article for December 15, 1169 in "Heihanki"(diary of TAIRA no Nobuyori)) and, with the Taira clan, he established a close connection, for example, by adopting TAIRA no Munezane, who was the son of TAIRA no Shigemori and his wife, FUJIWARA no Keishi.
経宗は後白河上皇に対して「太上天皇与正帝無差別」（『兵範記』嘉応元年（1169年）12月15日条）と表明して恭順の姿勢を示し、平氏に対しても平重盛の妻・藤原経子と重盛の子・平宗実を猶子とするなど親密な関係を築いた。