Saneyori worked as the kanpaku for the Emperor Reizei and the sessho for the Emperor Enyu, but this was because Saneyori's younger brother, who was the maternal grandfather of the Emperor Reizei and the Emperor Enyu had died and, therefore, Saneyori could not lead politics as he intended although he became the sessho.
実頼は冷泉天皇の関白、円融天皇の摂政を務めたが、これは冷泉、円融の外祖父たる実頼の弟の藤原師輔が死去していたためで、摂関になったものの、実頼は思い通りには政治は主導できなかった。