His maternal grandfather FUJIWARA no Akisue recommended him to Emperor Gotoba as a Jiju (chamberlain) when he was 13, and used the relationship with his cousin Bihukumonin (Akisue's granddaughter), who was the Emperor's favorite, to become a court noble at the young age of 31.
母方の祖父藤原顕季の引き立てで13歳で鳥羽天皇の侍従となった公教は、天皇が寵愛する従兄弟の美福門院（顕季の孫娘）との関係を利用して31歳の若さで公卿に列した。