Matsudaira clan

The Matsudaira family of Mikawa province claimed descent from Minamoto Yoshikuni, a son of Minamoto Yoshiie. Successive generations adopted the names Nitta, Tokugawa, and Serata. The Matsudaira settled in Mikawa province sometime in the 14th Century, the name 'Matsudaira' being assumed by Yasuchika (ca.1390). The Matsudaira struggled to maintain their domain and in the first half of the 16th Century were caught between the Oda and Imagawa. Matsudaira Motoyasu changed the name of the main branch of his family to Tokugawa. He himself became Tokugawa Ieyasu. The name 'Matsudaira' remained with a number of subsidiary branches and was given by Ieyasu to certain of his retainers and allies as an honorific.

References

• Initial text from Sengoku Biographical Dictionary (Samurai-Archives.com) FWSeal & CEWest, 2005