He was of the family line of the Seiwa-Genji (Minamoto clan), who were descended from Tsunemoto-o (MINAMOTO no Tsunemoto), the son of the Imperial Prince Sadazumi, himself the sixth son of Emperor Seiwa.
家系は清和天皇第六皇子・貞純親王の子、経基王の流れを汲む清和源氏。