He was the first son of FUJIWARA no Kiyotaka who was Gon Chunagon (a provisional vice-councilor of state), and his mother was FUJIWARA no Kashi with Junii (Junior Second Rank) who was the menoto (a woman providing breast-feed to a highborn baby) of the Emperor Konoe and was a daughter of FUJIWARA no Iemasa who was Sangi (councilor).
権中納言藤原清隆の長男で、母は近衛天皇の乳母を務めた従二位藤原家子（参議藤原家政女）。