Emperor Takakura was TAIRA no Kiyomori's nephew in law, while TAIRA no Kiyomori had the control of the politics at that time, the Emperor Takakura was appointed to succeed to the throne after Emperor Rokujo (Emperor Nijo's child and Emperor Takakura's nephew) was forced to abdicate when he was three years old, who was set up to succeed to the throne after Emperor Nijo died by the retired Emperor Goshirakara in, since Goshirakawa was not able to rule his Cloister government due to Emperor Nijo's political pressure who opposed to Goshirakawa on political policy during that period.
政界の実力者・平清盛の義理の甥にあたる事に加えて、当時政治方針を巡って対立した二条天皇によって院政停止状態に置かれていた後白河院の不満から、二条天皇の死後に立てられた六条天皇（二条天皇の子、高倉天皇からみて甥）をわずか3歳で退位させ、天皇として擁立された。