He was the grandson of FUJIWARA no Michitaka of the Naka no kanpaku family (literally, "the second candidate family of Chief Advisor to the Emperor") and TAKASHINA no Kishi (a female poet), and the nephew of FUJIWARA no Teishi, the empress of Emperor Ichijiyo.
中関白藤原道隆、高階貴子の孫であり、一条帝皇后宮藤原定子の甥にあたる。