In fact, MINAMOTO no Yorimasa, who was the first one to raise an army when Prince Mochihito called upon the members of the Minamoto families in various provinces in order to overthrow the Taira family, had a court rank of Jusanmi (Junior Third Rank), which was a first among Seiwa Genji, and he had a status that could have made him the clan chief.
事実、以仁王が平家を打倒すべく諸国の源氏に呼びかけた際、はじめに挙兵した源頼政は清和源氏としては初の従三位という高位にあり長者ともいうべき地位にあった。