His mother Tokiwa was MINAMOTO no Yoshitomo's concubine, who gave birth to Zenjo, Gien and Yoshitsune; she also gave birth to Ro no onkata (the Taira family) as TAIRA no Kiyomori's concubine.
母・常盤は、源義朝の愛妾として全成、義円、義経を生み、平清盛の愛妾として廊御方(平家)を生んだ。