When the Shishigatani Incident occurred, Shigemori stood up to Kiyomori's attempt to incarcerate Emperor Goshirakawa; therefore, politically speaking, Shigemori was close to the Cloistered Emperor Goshirakawa.
鹿ケ谷の陰謀の際には清盛の後白河天皇幽閉を身をもって制止するなど、政治的には後白河法皇に近い立場だった。