Tamamo no Mae is said to be modeled after Empress Bifukumonin (FUJIWARA no Nariko) that the Retired Emperor Toba loved very much, and her story is considered to be based on the historical fact that: although Empress Bifukumonin was not from a noble family such as a regent-and-advisor family, she used her political power to plan to have her children or nephews ascend to the crown; this caused conflict with the Retired Emperor Sutoku, FUJIWARA no Tadazane, and FUJIWARA no Yorinaga; she initiated the Hogen Disturbance; and finally she established the foundation for political administration by warriors (note, however, there have been multiple theories regarding the level of Empress Bikufumonin's involvement in Imperial succession).
玉藻前のモデルは、鳥羽上皇に寵愛された皇后美福門院（藤原得子）であり、摂関家などの名門出身でもない彼女が権勢をふるって自分の子や猶子を帝位につけるよう画策して、崇徳上皇や藤原忠実・藤原頼長親子と対立して、保元の乱を引き起こし、更には武家政権樹立のきっかけを作った史実が下敷きになっているとも言われる（ただし、美福門院がどのくらい皇位継承に関与していたかについては諸説ある）。