His son, Sanetoshi SAIONJI, was then appointed to 'bukeshisso (an intermediary between the Northern Court and the Ashikaga government)' for the Muromachi bakufu; his descendants went on to become the main branch of the Saionji family.
このため、公宗の息子西園寺実俊が室町幕府の「武家執奏」に任じられて以後その子孫が西園寺家の嫡流となった。