According to "Okagami" (The Great Mirror), Michikane resented Michitaka's succession to his father against his reasonable expectation of following his father as kanpaku because of the services he had rendered to his father, and pursued pleasures by inviting guests even though he was in mourning for his father.
『大鏡』によると、自分は父に功があったのだから、当然に関白を継ぐべきだと望んでいたのに道隆が後継に選ばれたことを甚だ憎み、父の喪中であるにもかかわらず客を集めては遊興にふけったという。