Around the time of Nobunao who succeeded the family estate after Nobutsune's death, joined the Ichijo clan to break the situation in being caught between the two clans; the Motoyama clan which had expanded power to the center part and the Tosa Ichijo clan in the west part.
宣経の死去後家督を継いだ宣直の頃、土佐中央部に進出してきた本山氏と土佐西部の土佐一条氏に挟まれた状況を打開するため一条氏と結んだ。