He was born in 1444 (there were theories stated that he was born in 1445 or 1446) as the second son to Fusatsugu KONOE, who served as the Kanpaku and Daijo-daijin.
文安元年（1444年）関白・太政大臣を務めた近衛房嗣の次男として生まれる（生年については1445年、1446年説もあり）。