Sadaie himself worked as Konoe no Chujo (middle captain of the palace guards) for a long time but failed to become Tono Chujo (the first secretary's captain) and finally managed to join the realm of Kugyo (the top court officials) at the age of 51.
定家自身も長年近衛中将を務めながら頭中将にはなれず、51歳の時に漸く公卿に達した。