Lalla Aisha Al Mubaraka (Arabic: عائشة بنت مبارك الرحماني), often referred to as Zaydana (died 1716), was a slave concubine of Moulay Ismail of Morocco (r. 1672–1727), she then became one of his four wives.
[citation needed] Lalla Aisha's real identity is subject to conflicting reports from historic sources and there are multiple theories regarding her origins.
[2] Moroccan historians do not give account of her origins nor of her status as wife, but refer to her as "the noble Lalla Aisha Al Mubaraka".
[11] Some sources identify her as a woman born as Aisha bint Mubarak El Rehmani Al Berabuchi, in the Royal court of her husband Sultan Moulay Ismail she was surnamed the Udaya Queen.
[12] From Moroccan historians we know her as Lalla Aisha Al Mubaraka, therefore regarding the conventional Arabic patronymic surname, her father's name is Mubarak.
Zaydana managed to achieve a great emotional bond with Sultan Moulay Ismail, and thereby gain influence over the entire kingdom.
The French Dominican friar Dominique Busnot described her as an enormous, tall and fat black woman who somehow managed to acquire such influence over the sultan that she could often deal with him as she wished.
[17] It has been suggested that the two women accused of the killing were actually following orders from the sultan, he wanted to get rid of his unworthy son who had massacred the civilian population of Taroudant.
[26] The rebellion caused atrocities, with Marrakesh and Taroudant civilian population massacred on various criminal acts unsponsored by Moulay Ismail, which wouldn't have happened if her machinations were not pushed to the extreme.
[17] A report made by a Spanish captive called Joseph de Leon alleged that Ismail Ibn Sharif was strangled by his "concubine" Zaydana.