His father, Morosuke, was already gone, and his uncle, FUJIWARA no Saneyori, became the Kanpaku Daijo-daijin (chief advisor to the emperor and grand minister) but since he did not have any maternal relation with the emperor, his political power remained weak.
父の師輔は既になく伯父の藤原実頼が関白太政大臣となったが、天皇との外戚関係がなく力が弱かった。