Maria Palaiologina (Greek: Μαρία Παλαιολογίνα) was the daughter of the Byzantine Emperor Michael VIII Palaiologos (ruled 1258-1282) who became the wife of the Mongol ruler Abaqa Khan, and an influential Christian leader among the Mongols. After Abaqa's death she became the leader of a Monastery in Constantinople which was popularly named after her as Saint Mary of the Mongols. Her monastic name was Melanie (Byzantine Greek: Μελάνη).