Kaikeyi mother of Bharata in Ramayana

Kaikeyi was one of the three wives of King Dasharatha - the Hindu Kshatriya king of Ayodhya or Raghuvamsa dynasty. She was the mother of Bharata and the queen of Ayodhya. Kaikeyi was the daughter of King Ashwapati (lord of horses). Kaikeyi was the only sister to seven brothers. She grew up without a maternal influence in her childhood home. Her father had banished her mother from Kekaya after realizing that her nature was not conducive to a happy family life. Kaikeyi never saw her mother again.

Kaikeyi was married to King Dasharatha as his second wife. As Kausalya had not been able to conceive a child, Dasharatha married Kaikeyi. Kaikeyi was raised by a maid named Manthara, who accompanied Kaikeyi to Ayodhya as a trusted maid upon her marriage to King Dasharatha. Kaikeyi was very courageous and and once pleased by it, King Dasharatha offered her two boons. But, Kaikeyi chose to ask for those boons later.

According to tricky advice of Manthara, Kaikeyi said that according to the two boons granted by Dasharatha, Rama should go to the forest for 14 years and her son Bharata must become the king. King Dasharatha died of a broken heart six days after Rama left Ayodhya. Kaikeyi came to blame herself for this death. Bharata swore never to ascend the throne and blamed her for his father's death. Realising her mistake, Kaikeyi expressed sincere regret sending her most beloved son away for 14 years. After Rama's return, she apologized to him for all her sins.