No — Jewish legend does not make King Darius the son of Esther.
That is a modern myth (popular in some Persian-Jewish and Baháʼí circles). Below is the canonical and rabbinic evidence showing the true legendary identity of Darius in Jewish sources.

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1. Who is “Darius” in Jewish Tradition?

Biblical Darius	Rabbinic Identification	Source
Darius the Mede (Daniel 5:31, 6:1)	Cyrus’s son-in-law OR Cyrus himself under another name	Seder Olam Rabbah 28; Megillat Antiochus
Darius I (Ezra 4–6)	Artaxerxes’s father — not Esther’s husband	Ezra 6:14 (chronology)
Darius the Persian (Nehemiah 12:22)	Darius II — post-Esther	Talmud Yoma 9a

Key: Esther’s husband = Ahasuerus = Xerxes I (485–465 BCE).
Darius I = Xerxes’ father (522–486 BCE).
Darius the Mede = not historical — a midrashic figure.

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2. The “Darius son of Esther” Legend — Origin & Refutation

Claim	Source	Truth
Darius = Esther’s son	19th-cent. Persian-Jewish folklore; Baháʼí writings (e.g., Kitáb-i-Íqán)	No ancient Jewish source.
Esther & Ahasuerus → Darius	Modern novels (e.g., The Book of Esther retellings)	Chronology impossible: Esther ~478 BCE; Darius I died 486 BCE.

Rabbinic Counter-Evidence

Text	Quote
Targum Sheni to Esther 1:2	“Ahasuerus = Xerxes… his son was Darius who built the Temple.” → Darius = Xerxes’ son, not Esther’s.
Seder Olam Rabbah 30	“Cyrus → Cambyses → Darius → Xerxes…” → Xerxes = Ahasuerus, Darius = father-in-law.
Midrash Abba Gurion	“Esther bore no children.”

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3. Authentic Jewish Legends About Darius

Legend	Details	Source
Darius the Mede = Astyages’ son	Cyrus marries Darius’s sister; Darius rules 62 years before Cyrus.	Josephus, Antiquities 10.11.4
Darius finds Zerubbabel’s decree	Darius I discovers Cyrus’s edict in Ecbatana; allows Temple rebuilding.	Ezra 6:1–12; Targum Rishon
Darius and the 3 guardsmen	Young Darius wins throne via wisdom contest (foreshadows Esther’s court).	1 Esdras 3–4 (Apocrypha)

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4. Esther’s Actual Son (in Legend)

Figure	Identity	Source
Cyrus the Younger	Esther’s grandson via daughter Atossa	Persian-Jewish midrash (not in Talmud)
No son named	Esther remains childless in most sources	Talmud Megillah 13a

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Summary Table

Claim	Jewish Tradition	Verdict
Darius = Esther’s son	Never	False
Darius = Ahasuerus’s son	Yes (Targum Sheni)	True
Darius = Esther’s husband	No — Ahasuerus = Xerxes	False
Esther’s child	None (most sources)	Childless

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Primary Sources

Text	Quote
Targum Sheni 1:2	“Ahasuerus… his son Darius rebuilt the Temple.”
Seder Olam Rabbah 30	“Xerxes = Ahasuerus… after Darius.”
Josephus, Ant. 11.3.1	“Darius, son of Hystaspes, succeeded Cambyses.”

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Bottom Line:

• Darius is not Esther’s son in any Jewish text.
• He is Ahasuerus/Xerxes’ son (Targum Sheni) or father (chronology).
• The “son of Esther” idea is modern fiction, not legend.