He was adopted by MINAMOTO no Mitsusue, the third son of Seiwa-Genji (Minamoto clan) MINAMOTO no Tsunemoto; he was a son of MINAMOTO no Tadakata, who was the eldest son of MINAMOTO no Takaakira, Daigo-Genji (Minamoto clan) and Sadaijin (Minister of the Left), and is said to have been a model of Hikaru Genji.
清和源氏・源経基の三男源満季の養子（光源氏のモデルになったといわれる醍醐源氏・左大臣源高明の長男源忠賢の子）。