 The family was descended from Saionji Michisue (1090–1128), son of Fujiwara no Kinzane.In the time of Michisue's great-grandson Saionji Kintsune (1171–1244), Minamoto no Yoritomo's niece was married into the Saionji family, thus giving the Kamakura "shōguns" of the Minamoto clan some influence in, and protection from, the Imperial Court.Members of the Saionji family began to be appointed "Kantō Mōshitsugi", acting alongside the "Rokuhara Tandai" to manage communications and relations between the shogunate and the Court.