King Ahasuerus
AKA King Xerxes (NIV, the Message)
The king of Persia who reigned in Susa, Persia, from India to Ethiopia over 127 provinces. (Esther 1:1-2)
King Ahasuerus's feast and disposal of his Queen Vashti
In the third year of his reign, King Ahasuerus showed the riches of his glory before the officials, servants, Persian and Median armies, nobles, and provincial governors for 180 days then held a feast in the court of the garden for all the people in Susa for 7 days. Queen Vashti also gave a feast for the women in the palace.
On the seventh day, he was drunk and ordered by 7 eunuchs, Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, Abagtha, Zethar, and Carkas, for Vashti to show the people her beauty, but she refused. He asked the wise men next to him, the seven princes of Persia and Media, Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan, her punishment, and Memucan said Vashti did wrong against all the peoples of all his provinces and all women will look at their husbands with contempt and that a royal order should be written among the Persian and Median laws that Vashti is never again to come before the King and her position be given to someone better. All women will give honor to their husbands. The king was pleased and sent letters to every province in its own script and language that every man be master in his own household.
King Ahasuerus's search for a new queen
When his anger abated, he remembered Vashti and what she had done and what had been decreed against her. His young men suggested beautiful young virgins be sought out for him, and officers in all the provinces gather the virgins to the harem in Susa under Hegai's custody and be given cosmetics to compete to replace Vashti. This pleased him, so he did so. The virgins, after a twelve-month beauty regimen with six months of oil of myrrh and six months of spices and ointments, would go in to the king in the evening with whatever she desired to take from the harem and return in the morning to the second harem under Shaashgaz. Ahasuerus would summon only those who delighted him back by name.
Come Esther's turn, she only took with her what Hegai recommended and he loved her the most. He set the royal crown on her head and made her queen. He held Esther's feast for all his officials and servants, granted a remission of taxes to the provinces, and gave generous gifts.
Esther told the king in Mordecai's name that the eunuch gate guards Bigthan and Teresh wanted to lay hands on the king, and it was found true, so both men were hanged and the event recorded in the book of the chronicles in his presence.
(Esther 2)
The Wandering Jew
He is merely a myth, but he sometimes shares a name with Ahasuerus.