History
Achashverosh (Ahasuerus) אחשורוש
Achashverosh was the Persian king of Megillas Esther, who ruled 127 provinces, and Queen Esther's husband.
Fix / add informationAchashverosh was king of Persia and Media, 'who reigned from Hodu to Kush, over 127 provinces' (Esther 1:1). The Megillah opens with his great feast in Shushan, where he ordered Queen Vashti brought and she refused (ch. 1).
Later he took Esther as queen (2:16–17). He gave Haman permission to write the decree against the Jews (ch. 3), and at Esther's request he hanged Haman (ch. 7) and let Mordechai and Esther write a new letter allowing the Jews to defend their lives (ch. 8).
The name Achashverosh also appears in Ezra (4:6). The Gemara discusses him at length in Megillah 11a–12a.
Disputed or unverified
The Gemara records a dispute between Rav and Shmuel whether Achashverosh was a clever king or a foolish king (Megillah 12a).
Sources
Know more? Send us info
Last reviewed: October 21, 2026. Spotted an error? Let us know.
Comments (0)
No comments yet. Be the first!