Based on Kouchi's theory, the situation was as follows: taking advantage of the death of Yoritomo, Hiromoto and Kagesue tried to shift the responsibility of having considered making Morisada Emperor onto the Ichijo family and the Jimyoji family, as a means of getting the situation under control and to rebuild relationships between Yoriie, the new shogun, and Gotoba-in.
河内説は広元・景季が頼朝の死をきっかけに守貞擁立構想の責任を中御門流一条家及び同族の持明院家に転嫁することによって、新将軍頼家と後鳥羽院の関係を一から再構築しなおして事態の収拾を図ったとしている。