Dayfa Khatun
Dayfa Khatun (Arabic: ضيفة خاتون; died 1242) was a Kurdish Ayyubid princess, and the regent of Aleppo from 26 November 1236 to 1242, during the minority of her grandson An-Nasir Yusuf. She was an Ayyubid princess, as the daughter of Al-Adil, Sultan of Egypt. She married her first cousin, Az-Zahir Ghazi, Emir of Aleppo, which marked the end of the rivalry between the two branches of the family.
| Dayfa Khatun | |
|---|---|
The mihrab in Al-Firdaws Madrasa, built by Dayfa Khatun | |
| Regent of the Ayyubid Emirate of Aleppo | |
| Regency | 26 November 1236 – 1242 |
| Predecessor | Shihab ad-Din Toghril |
| Successor | Shams ad-Din Lu'lu' |
| Emir | An-Nasir Yusuf (grandson) |
| Died | 1242 |
| Spouse | , |
| Issue | Al-Aziz Muhammad |
| Dynasty | Ayyubid |
| Father | Al-Adil, Sultan of Egypt |
| Religion | Sunni Islam |
During her minor grandson's reign, Khatun achieved an unprecedented measure of autonomous political influence. She acted as regent during the minority of her grandson, which was a highly unusual position for a woman in an Islamic dynasty, and played a major role in architectural patronage in Aleppo, being responsible for the construction of the Firdaws Madrasa.