This was an example of a member of the Imperial Family who abdicated and then returned and became the Emperor because there was no one to succeed the enthronement; it is said that the event of Emperor Uda's enthronement could have been set up by FUJIWARA no Yoshiko and Mototsune, although Imperial Prince Motoyoshi was still alive.
皇位継承者不在の危機にあたり、臣籍降下した者が即位した例であるが、当時在世中の元良親王らを超越しての即位であり、藤原淑子・基経による擁立劇という側面もある。