At the Coup of the Third Year of Jisho in 1179, he became Kazusa no suke (Assistant Governor of Kazusa Province) in place of FUJIWARA no Tameyasu, who had been dismissed, and was also appointed as Jugoinoge (Junior Fifth Rank, Lower Grade).
治承三年の政変（1179年）で忠清は、解官された藤原為保に代わり上総介となり、従五位下に叙せられた。