Vashti

Vashti was the queen of Persia and the wife of King Ahasuerus (Xerxes I). She is introduced in the book of Esther during a great feast the king held for his officials and servants. On the seventh day of the feast, when the king was drunk, he commanded Vashti to appear before him and his guests wearing her royal crown, to display her beauty. However, Vashti refused to come at the king's command, which greatly angered him. After consulting with his wise men, the king decided to remove Vashti as queen and give her royal position to another. This decision led to the selection of Esther as the new queen, setting the stage for her role in saving the Jewish people from Haman's plot. Vashti's refusal to appear before the king and her subsequent removal from her position is a key event in the early part of the book of Esther.