Matsudaira clan
The is a
Japanese clan that originated in and took its name from Matsudaira county, in the old
Mikawa province. It is known for being the clan into which
Tokugawa Ieyasu was born. Before taking the
Tokugawa surname, he was known as Matsudaira Takechiyo. The reason for changing his surname from Matsudaira to Tokugawa is to claim to have imperial decent from the
Minamoto clan, by way of
Nitta Yoshisue. In adopting the new surname, Ieyasu founded what became the Tokugawa shogunal house.
Prior to the ascendancy of Ieyasu as shogun, the Matsudaira clan had 14 branches: , , , , , , , , , , , , , and . While they did not always see eye to eye, many of these branches went on to become domainal lords in their own right during the
Edo Period.
Rekishi Dokuhon, "Tokugawa ShÅgun-ke to Matsudaira Ichizoku", January 2006.
