Emperor Ichijō
Takaie was born 979 into the Hokke branch of the powerful Fujiwara clan, the fourth son of Fujiwara no Michitaka. His mother was Takashina no Takako also known as "Kō-no-Naishi" (高内侍) or "Gidō-sanshi no Haha" (儀同三司母). His childhood name was Ako (阿古). His uncle was the powerful Fujiwara no Michinaga who represented the highpoint of the Fujiwara clan's control over the government of Japan holding the position of Daijō-daijin. His elder brother was Fujiwara no Korechika who was charged with treason but later pardoned. One of his sisters was the well-known empress consort of Emperor Ichijō, Fujiwara no Teishi.