Maria was a Bulgarian princess and daughter of Emperor Ivan Asen II and Irene Komnene. As a child of her father's third marriage, she was born sometime between 1238 and 1241. Through her mother, Maria was a granddaughter of Emperor Theodore Komnenos Doukas of Thessalonica and Maria Petraliphaina. Maria was the full sister of Emperor Michael Asen I of Bulgaria and of Anna/Theodora. Maria is traditionally identified as the spouse of Emperor Mitso Asen of Bulgaria, and thus a Bulgarian empress consort, but this is not certain.