Drunken festivities turn bad, then good

In the first chapter from the book of Esther, the Persian king held a grand feast, displaying his great wealth and might, for 180 days.  Near the end of the feast was a week-long banquet for all of the people, from great to least.  The king allowed as much drinking as possible.  The queen held a similar banquet for the women of the palace.

By the end of the festivities, the king wanted to show off his queen.  He ordered her to wear her crown, so she could show off her beauty to the others.

But she refused to come.

This made the king angry.  So angry that, after much counsel with his advisors, made a decree that he would find himself a new queen and banish the current queen.

Then, starting in the second chapter, the search for a new queen began.  Leaders from each province gathered the most beautiful women to come to the palace.  This is where we find Esther.  You see, Esther was adopted by her uncle Mordecai, who was a Jew and her previously been taken into exile from Jerusalem when King Nebuchadnezzar took over Judah.

Esther was very beautiful and seemed to curry favor with all of those she met.  Even at the palace, while she waited to meet with the king, she was given seven hand-picked female servants and given a special diet and treatment.  She also did not reveal her ethnicity, as her uncle had ordered her not to.

Long story short, the king chose Esther as his queen and her uncle Mordecai was given a new position in the palace.

One day, Mordecai overheard two of the king's servants plotting to assassinate the king.  Mordecai reported this to Queen Esther, who then told the king.  An investigation was completed, verifying that the report was true, and the two servants were hanged from the gallows.