Seiwa Genji

The Seiwa Genji (清和源氏^?) were the most successful and powerful of the many branch families of the Japanese Minamoto clan. Many of the most famous Minamoto warriors, including Minamoto Yoshiie, also known as "Hachimantaro", or God of War, and Minamoto no Yoritomo, the founder of the Kamakura shogunate, were descended from this line. The family is named after Emperor Seiwa, grandfather of Minamoto no Tsunemoto, patriarch of the Seiwa Genji.

Emperor Seiwa was father of Imperial Prince Sadazumi (貞純親王 Sadazumi Shinnō) (873-916) - father of Minamoto no Tsunemoto (源経基) (894-961), founder of the Seiwa Genji, from whom the Kamakura shogunate was descended. Ashikaga Takauji (1305-1358), founder of the Ashikaga shogunate, and Tokugawa Ieyasu (1543-1616), founder of the Tokugawa shogunate, also claimed descent from this lineage. The Clan of Mori also claim descent from this lineage.

A group of Shinto shrines connected closely with the clan is known as the Three Genji Shrines (源氏三神社 Genji San Jinja).

Family Tree of the Seiwa Genji

• Minamoto no Tsunemoto's son was Minamoto no Mitsunaka (912–997?), who in turn had three sons:
  • Yorimitsu (944–1021), son of Mitsunaka, and ancestor of the Settsu Genji (also known as the Tada Genji)
    • Yorikuni, son of Yorimitsu
      • Yoritsuna, son of Yorikuni
        • Nakamasa (?–1156), son of Yoritsuna
          • Yorimasa (1106–1180), son of Nakimasa and a great-great-grandson of Yorimitsu (Settsu Genji)
            • Nakatsuna (?–1180), son of Yorimasa
            • Kanetsuna (?–1180), son of Yorimasa
      • Sanekuni, son of Yorikuni
        • Yukizane, son of Sanekuni
          • Mitsuyuki (1163–1244), son of Yukizane, cousin of Yorimasa
  • Yorichika (954–?), son of Mitsunaka, and ancestor of the Yamato Genji
  • Yorinobu (968–1048), son of Mitsunaka, and ancestor of the Kawachi Genji
    • Yoriyoshi (998–1082?), son of Yorinobu
      • Yoshiie (1041–1108), son of Yoriyoshi, dubbed "Hachimantaro" or God of War
        • Yoshichika (?–1117), son of Yoshiie
          • Tameyoshi (1096–1156), son of Yoshichika
            • Yoshitomo (1123–1160), son of Tameyoshi
              • Yoshihira (1140–1160), son of Yoshitomo
              • Yoritomo (1147–1199), son of Yoshitomo, and first Kamakura Shogun
                • Yoriie (1182–1204), son of Yoritomo, and 2nd shogun of the Kamakura Shogunate
                • Sanetomo(*) (1192–1219), son of Yoritomo, and 3rd shogun of the Kamakura Shogunate
              • Noriyori (1156–1193), son of Yoshitomo
              • Yoshitsune (1159–1189), son of Yoshitomo, and one of the most famous samurai of all time
            • Tametomo (1139–1170), son of Tameyoshi
            • Yoshikata (?–1155), son of Tameyoshi
              • Yoshinaka (1154–1184), son of Yoshikata
            • Yukiie (?–1186), son of Tameyoshi
        • Yoshikuni (1082–1155), son of Yoshiie, and ancestor of the Ashikaga, and Nitta families
          • Yoshiyasu (?–1157), son of Yoshikuni
          • Yoshishige (1135–1202) , son of Yoshikuni
      • Yoshitsuna (?–1134), son of Yoriyoshi
      • Yoshimitsu (1045–1127), dubbed "Shinra Saburo"; son of Yoriyoshi, and ancestor of the Satake and Hiraga families
        • Yoshikiyo, son of Yoshimitsu, and ancestor of Takeda family

(*)= In 1219, Shogunate Minamoto Sanetomo was the last head of Minamoto clan of Japan after his nephew Minamoto Kugyo, son of Yoriie, killed Sanemoto, his uncle, and then committed suicide. Also, another nephew, Ichiman (who was also Yoriie's son) was executed in 1203 on Hōjō's orders.

References

• Sansom, George (1958). 'A History of Japan to 1334'. Stanford, California: Stanford University Press.
• Turnbull, Stephen (1998). 'The Samurai Sourcebook'. London: Cassell & Co.

See also

• Ōta clan
• Sakai clan