He enjoyed a smooth rise in the court rank as the eldest son of FUJIWARA no Tadahira, who served as Sessho Kanpaku (regent and chief adviser to the Emperor); became Sadaijin (Minister of Left) under the reign of Emperor Murakami, and guided the Imperial government of Tenryaku no chi (glorious Tenryaku rule) together with his younger brother Morosuke, who was Udaijin (Minister of the Right).
摂政関白を歴任した藤原忠平の長男として順調に栄達し、村上天皇のときに左大臣として右大臣の弟師輔とともに朝政を指導して天暦の治を支えた。