The definition of Azumaya algebras over commutative rings \(R\) requires the tensor product of modules over \(R\) and the twist map for the tensor product of any two \(R\)-modules. Similar constructions are available in braided monoidal categories, and Azumaya algebras were defined in these settings. Here, we introduce Azumaya monads on any category \(\mathbb{A}\) by considering a monad \((F,m,e)\) on \(\mathbb{A}\) endowed with a distributive law \(\lambda: FF\to FF\) satisfying the Yang–Baxter equation (BD%please define -law). This allows to introduce an opposite monad \((F^\lambda,m\cdot \lambda,e)\) and a monad structure on \(FF^\lambda\). The quadruple \((F,m,e,\lambda)\) is called an Azumaya monad, provided that the canonical comparison functor induces an equivalence between the category \(\mathbb{A}\) and the category of \(FF^\lambda\)-modules. Properties and characterizations of these monads are studied, in particular for the case when \(F\) allows for a right adjoint functor. Dual to Azumaya monads, we define Azumaya comonads and investigate the interplay between these notions. In braided categories (V\(,\otimes,I,\tau)\), for any V-algebra \(A\), the braiding induces a BD-law \(\tau_{A,A}:A\otimes A\to A\otimes A\), and \(A\) is called left (right) Azumaya, provided the monad \(A\otimes-\) (resp. \(-\otimes A\)) is Azumaya. If \(\tau\) is a symmetry or if the category V admits equalizers and coequalizers, the notions of left and right Azumaya algebras coincide.