His mother was a daughter of Motonari SONO (Gon Dainagon) and, therefore, he was a maternal cousin of the Emperor Reigen whose mother was also a daughter of Motonari SONO.
母は園基音(権大納言)の姫であり、したがって同じく園基音の姫を母とする霊元天皇とは母方の従兄弟にあたる。