Minamoto clan

Minamoto clan 源
The emblem (mon) of the Minamoto clan
Home province	Various
Parent house	Imperial House of Japan
Titles	Various
Founder	Minamoto no Makoto
Cadet branches	Saga Genji Ninmyō Genji Montoku Genji Seiwa Genji Yōzei Genji Kōkō Genji Uda Genji Daigo Genji Murakami Genji Reizei Genji Kazan Genji Sanjō Genji Go-Sanjō Genji Go-Shirakawa Genji Juntoku Genji Go-Saga Genji Go-Fusakusa Genji Ōgimachi Genji

Minamoto clan (源, Minamoto-shi^?) was one of the surnames bestowed by the Emperors of Japan upon members of the imperial family who were demoted into the ranks of the nobility. The practice was most prevalent during the Heian Period (AD 794–1185), although its last occurrence was during the Sengoku Era. The Taira were another such offshoot of the imperial dynasty. The Minamoto clan is also called the Genji (源氏^?), using the Sino–Japanese pronunciation of the Chinese characters for Minamoto (gen, from Middle Chinese ngüon) and family (ji, from MC dʒje).

The Minamoto were one of four great clans that dominated Japanese politics during the Heian period — the other three were the Fujiwara, the Taira, and the Tachibana.

The first emperor to grant the surname Minamoto was Emperor Saga, who reportedly had 49 children, resulting in a significant financial burden on the imperial household. In order to alleviate some of the pressure of supporting his unusually large family, he made many of his sons and daughters nobles instead of royals. He chose the word minamoto (meaning "origin") for their new surname in order to signify that the new clan shared the same origins as the royal family. Afterwards, Emperor Seiwa, Emperor Murakami, Emperor Uda, and Emperor Daigo, among others, also gave their sons or daughters the name Minamoto. These specific hereditary lines coming from different emperors developed into specific clans referred to by the emperor's name followed by Genji, e.g. Seiwa Genji. According to some sources, the first to be given the name Minamoto was Minamoto no Makoto, seventh son of Emperor Saga.