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[[File:Xerxes_I,_the_Great,_King_of_Persia.jpg|thumb]]{{Era|Characters}}
{{Era|Individuals}}{{WP-REAL|Xerxes I}}
{{WP-REAL|Xerxes I of Persia}}
{{Quote|Nothing. Your deaths mean nothing. The Order cannot be stopped.|Xerxes before being assassinated, 465 BCE.|Legacy of the First Blade: Hunted|Shadow of a Legend}}
'''Xerxes,''' aka Xerxes the Great (519 BC - 465 BCخشایار) was the King of Achaemenid Persia ("God-King") during the Persian War, in which Persia fought and conquered much of Greece. Xerxes was killed by the [[Assassins|Assassin]] [[Darius]], marking the first use of the hidden blade.
{{Character Infobox
|image = ACOD Xerxes I of Persia.png
|birth = 519 BCE<br>[[Iran|Persia]], [[Achaemenid Empire]]
|death = August 465 BCE {{c|aged 53-54}}<br>Persia, Achaemenid Empire
|species = [[Human]]
|affiliates = Achaemenid dynasty<br>[[Order of the Ancients]]
}}
'''Xerxes I of Persia''' (c. 519 BCE – 465 BCE), also known as '''Xerxes the Great''', was a king of the [[Achaemenid Empire]] during the [[Greco-Persian Wars]], and an ally of the [[Order of the Ancients]] in [[Iran|Persia]].


In reality, Xerxes was murdered by [[Artabanus of Persia|Artabanus]] who was the commander of the royal bodyguard.
==Biography==
Like his father, [[Darius I]], Xerxes I was a strong ally<ref name="Encyclopedia">''[[Assassin's Creed Encyclopedia]]''</ref><ref name="Abstergo Files">''[[Assassin's Creed: Revelations]]'' – [[Abstergo Files]]</ref> of the [[Order of the Ancients]].<ref name="ACOd">''[[Assassin's Creed: Odyssey]]''</ref> Additionally, the [[Cult of Kosmos]] supported Xerxes in his attempted conquest of [[Greece]], unsuccessfully trying to sway King [[Leonidas I of Sparta|Leonidas]] of [[Sparta]] to allow Xerxes to conquer the land through their puppet, the [[Pythia (480 BCE)|Oracle]] of [[Sanctuary of Delphi|Delphi]].<ref name="Bully the Bullies">''[[Assassin's Creed: Odyssey]]'' – [[Bully the Bullies]]</ref>


In 480 BCE, Xerxes led a second Persian invasion of Greece. Before crossing the river [[Strymon]], Xerxes had white [[horse]]s sacrificed, as well as nine young men and women buried alive. After that, his army marched to [[Battle of Thermopylae|clash]] with Leonidas' forces at the [[Hot Gates of Thermopylai]] in [[Malis]].<ref name="ACOd"/>


===Trivia===
To oppose Xerxes' tyranny, the Persian elite consisting of [[Darius]], [[Amorges]], and [[Pactyas]] formed and led the [[Protectors of Persia]], a secret group that resisted the king.<ref name="PoP">''[[Assassin's Creed: Odyssey]]'' – ''[[Legacy of the First Blade: Hunted]]'' – [[Protector of Persia]]</ref> In August 465 BCE, while the freedom fighters attacked Xerxes' convoy, Darius used the distraction and his disguise as one of the king's agents to sneak in from behind and assassinate Xerxes.<ref name="Shadow">''[[Assassin's Creed: Odyssey]]'' – ''[[Legacy of the First Blade: Hunted]]'' – [[Shadow of a Legend]]</ref> This act marked the first recorded use of the [[Hidden Blade]].<ref name="AC2">''[[Assassin's Creed II]]''</ref><ref name="The Essential Guide">''[[Assassin's Creed: The Essential Guide]]''</ref>
*Historically Darius was also the name of the father of Xerxes
 
[[Category:Characters]]
He was succeeded by his son [[Artaxerxes I of Persia|Artaxerxes I]].<ref name="ACOd" />
[[Category:Historical Characters]]
 
==Influence and legacy==
{{Quote|It's an ancient blade that killed the tyrant Xerxes. A weapon of justice.|Aya, as she gave Darius' Hidden Blade to Bayek, 48 BCE.|Assassin's Creed: Origins|Aya (memory)}}
By the time of the [[Peloponnesian War]], a [[Xerxes Military Fort|fort]] within [[Lokris]] was named after Xerxes.<ref name="ACOd" />
 
The place where Xerxes had performed his sacrifice of horses, women, and men near the river Strymon was afterwards known as [[Xerxes' Sacrifice of the Nine]]. The [[Followers of Ares]] had made their camp therein, and were subsequently slain by the ''[[Mercenary|misthios]]'' [[Kassandra]].<ref name="ACOd" />
 
By the 420s BCE, Xerxes' story was part of a play written by [[Thespis]], based on the Battle of Thermopylae. The part of Xerxes was set to be played by an [[Xerxes actor|actor]] famous for his previous villainous roles.<ref name="Curse of Fame">''[[Assassin's Creed: Odyssey]]'' – [[The Curse of Fame]]</ref>
 
By the 1st century BCE, Darius' killing of Xerxes had earned him a legendary reputation, and the Hidden Blade used during the assassination came to be seen as a "weapon of justice" according to [[Amunet|Aya]].<ref name="Aya">''[[Assassin's Creed: Origins]]'' – [[Aya (memory)|Aya]]</ref> By the time of the [[Renaissance]], Darius was a revered figure among the [[Assassins]], the organization co-founded by Aya and her husband [[Bayek]], for his fight against tyranny, best exemplified by his assassination of Xerxes.<ref name="AC2">''[[Assassin's Creed II]]''</ref>
 
==Personality and traits==
Xerxes was known to be a cruel, ruthless, sadistic, ambitious and dictatorial man obsessed with conquering Greece to avenge his own father. He did not tolerate the resistance of his enemies against his massive Persian army, considering it as useless.<ref name="Shadow" />
 
==Gallery==
<gallery position="center" widths="180" captionalign="center">
Xerxes I.jpg|Potrait of Xerxes I
ACOD Darius assassinate Xerxes.png|Xerxes assassinated by Darius
ACOD Shadow of a Legend - Deceased Xerxes.png|Xerxes' body
</gallery>
 
==Appearances==
*''[[Assassin's Creed II]]'' {{1stm}}
*''[[Assassin's Creed: Revelations]]'' {{Mo}}
*''[[Assassin's Creed: Origins]]'' {{Mo}}
*''[[Assassin's Creed: Odyssey]]'' {{Mo}}
**''[[Legacy of the First Blade: Hunted]]'' {{1st}}
*''[[Echoes of History]]'' {{Mo}}
*''[[Assassin's Creed: Mirage]]'' {{Mo}}
 
==References==
{{Reflist}}
{{Templars nav}}
{{ACOD}}
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[es:Jerjes I de Persia]
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[pt-br:Xerxes I da Pérsia]
[ru:Ксеркс I]
[zh:薛西斯一世]-->
[[Category:519 BCE births]]
[[Category:465 BCE deaths]]
[[Category:Individuals]]
[[Category:Iranians]]
[[Category:Persians]]
[[Category:Kings of Persia]]
[[Category:Pharaohs of Egypt]]
[[Category:Kings of Babylon]]
[[Category:Achaemenid dynasty]]
[[Category:Order of the Ancients allies]]
[[Category:Cult of Kosmos puppets]]

Latest revision as of 21:38, 11 May 2026

"Nothing. Your deaths mean nothing. The Order cannot be stopped."
―Xerxes before being assassinated, 465 BCE.[src]-[m]

Xerxes I of Persia (c. 519 BCE – 465 BCE), also known as Xerxes the Great, was a king of the Achaemenid Empire during the Greco-Persian Wars, and an ally of the Order of the Ancients in Persia.

Biography[edit | edit source]

Like his father, Darius I, Xerxes I was a strong ally[1][2] of the Order of the Ancients.[3] Additionally, the Cult of Kosmos supported Xerxes in his attempted conquest of Greece, unsuccessfully trying to sway King Leonidas of Sparta to allow Xerxes to conquer the land through their puppet, the Oracle of Delphi.[4]

In 480 BCE, Xerxes led a second Persian invasion of Greece. Before crossing the river Strymon, Xerxes had white horses sacrificed, as well as nine young men and women buried alive. After that, his army marched to clash with Leonidas' forces at the Hot Gates of Thermopylai in Malis.[3]

To oppose Xerxes' tyranny, the Persian elite consisting of Darius, Amorges, and Pactyas formed and led the Protectors of Persia, a secret group that resisted the king.[5] In August 465 BCE, while the freedom fighters attacked Xerxes' convoy, Darius used the distraction and his disguise as one of the king's agents to sneak in from behind and assassinate Xerxes.[6] This act marked the first recorded use of the Hidden Blade.[7][8]

He was succeeded by his son Artaxerxes I.[3]

Influence and legacy[edit | edit source]

"It's an ancient blade that killed the tyrant Xerxes. A weapon of justice."
―Aya, as she gave Darius' Hidden Blade to Bayek, 48 BCE.[src]-[m]

By the time of the Peloponnesian War, a fort within Lokris was named after Xerxes.[3]

The place where Xerxes had performed his sacrifice of horses, women, and men near the river Strymon was afterwards known as Xerxes' Sacrifice of the Nine. The Followers of Ares had made their camp therein, and were subsequently slain by the misthios Kassandra.[3]

By the 420s BCE, Xerxes' story was part of a play written by Thespis, based on the Battle of Thermopylae. The part of Xerxes was set to be played by an actor famous for his previous villainous roles.[9]

By the 1st century BCE, Darius' killing of Xerxes had earned him a legendary reputation, and the Hidden Blade used during the assassination came to be seen as a "weapon of justice" according to Aya.[10] By the time of the Renaissance, Darius was a revered figure among the Assassins, the organization co-founded by Aya and her husband Bayek, for his fight against tyranny, best exemplified by his assassination of Xerxes.[7]

Personality and traits[edit | edit source]

Xerxes was known to be a cruel, ruthless, sadistic, ambitious and dictatorial man obsessed with conquering Greece to avenge his own father. He did not tolerate the resistance of his enemies against his massive Persian army, considering it as useless.[6]

Gallery[edit | edit source]

  • Potrait of Xerxes I
    Potrait of Xerxes I
  • Xerxes assassinated by Darius
    Xerxes assassinated by Darius
  • Xerxes' body
    Xerxes' body

Appearances[edit | edit source]

References[edit | edit source]

  1. ↑ Assassin's Creed Encyclopedia
  2. ↑ Assassin's Creed: Revelations – Abstergo Files
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 Assassin's Creed: Odyssey
  4. ↑ Assassin's Creed: Odyssey – Bully the Bullies
  5. ↑ Assassin's Creed: Odyssey – Legacy of the First Blade: Hunted – Protector of Persia
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Assassin's Creed: Odyssey – Legacy of the First Blade: Hunted – Shadow of a Legend
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 Assassin's Creed II
  8. ↑ Assassin's Creed: The Essential Guide
  9. ↑ Assassin's Creed: Odyssey – The Curse of Fame
  10. ↑ Assassin's Creed: Origins – Aya

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