Although there is a theory that his mother was Katsumoto's lawful wife, who was a daughter of Hirotaka YAMANA (her foster father was Sozen YAMANA), there is no documentary evidence to support this theory.
勝元の正室・山名熙貴の娘（養父は山名宗全）を母とする説もあるが、根拠となる史料は無い。