Ahasuerus

Ahasuerus is king of the Persian Empire. He grants permission to his most important minister, Haman, to murder all the Jews in his kingdom. But then Ahasuerus discovers that his favourite wife, Esther, is also a member of that people.

Ahasuerus is the Hebrew form of the Persian name Kshayarsha (“Shah of shahs”). The Greek version of this name is Xerxes. These names mean “supreme ruler”.
Ahasuerus is usually identified as the Persian King Xerxes I, who reigned from 486 to 465 BC. In the Greek version of the book of Esther, the king is called Artaxerxes. So it is also possible that the story relates to King Artaxerxes I (464-424 BC) or Artaxerxes II (423-404 BC).

After Ahasuerus has deposed Queen Vashti, he goes in search of a new queen. Out of all the beautiful young women in his harem he chooses the Jewish girl Esther as the new queen.
Esther is only permitted to come into the king’s presence at his bidding. If she goes to him herself, she will be killed, unless the king holds out his golden sceptre towards her.

Haman is Ahasuerus’ most important minister. The king grants Haman permission to annihilate a particular people in his kingdom, not realising that the people in question were the Jews. Haman writes a command in the name of King Ahasuerus that on a certain day all Jews are to be wiped out. He seals this command with the king’s seal ring.
Esther hears from her guardian Mordecai what Haman is plotting. Risking her own life, she goes to the king to try to save her people from destruction. When King Ahasuerus sees her, he holds out the golden sceptre towards her.

Esther invites the king and Haman to come and dine with her. During the meal, she tells the king that she belongs to the people that Haman wants to wipe out. She asks the king to let her and her people live.
It is only then that Ahasuerus realises what it is that he has given his permission for. The king cannot revoke the command, because this is a law of the Medes and Persians. But he grants Mordecai permission to make a new law that on that day the Jews are allowed to defend themselves. As a result, the Jewish people are saved from destruction.