Maria Palaiologina
02/08/1265 AD married
On her journey to marry her betrothed Hulagu, Maria learned, in Caesarea, that Hulagu had died, so Maria was instead married to his son, Abaqa Khan. He received her hand in marriage when he was installed as Ilkhan.
Hulagu had been negotiating for a lady of the imperial family of Constantinople to be added to his number of wives, and Michael selected his illegitimate daughter Maria.
Michael VIII, the Byzantine Emperor based in Constantinople, attempting to stay on friendly relations with both the Ilkhanate as well as the Golden Hord, betrothed another of his daughters, Maria's sister Euphrosyne Palaiologina, to Nogai Khan, head of the Golden Horde. Both khanates maintained an attitude of tolerance towards the Christians.
She left Constantinople, escorted by the abbot of Pantokrator monastery, Theodosius de Villehardouin Historian Steven Runciman relates how she was accompanied by the Patriarch Euthymius of Antioch.
She led a pious life and was quite influential on the politics and the religious outlooks of the Mongols, many of whom were already Nestorian Christians.
They had previously looked to Doquz Khatun, Hulagu's wife, as a religious leader. When Doquz also died in 1265, this sentiment turned to Maria, who was called "Despina Khatun" by the Mongols (Δέσποινα being Greek for "Lady").
