The following tells Cyrus' story only as it pertains to biblical events. There is, of course, much more to it and some of the videos below cover his life much more extensively.
Cyrus is the only non-Jew in the Bible to be addressed as God's anointed (i.e. messiah) (Isaiah 45:1).
The Context
740 B.C. (or 733/734 according to some) - 2 King 15:29; 1 Chronicles 5:26 - the Assyrian king, Tiglath-Pileser, took the Reubenites, Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh into captivity.
724 B.C. - Shalmaneser V of Assyria besieged Samaria the capital of the northern kingdom. The siege pasted 3 years.
721 B.C. - 2 King 17:3-6; 18:11-12 - The Assyrians, under, Sargon II, captured Samaria, taking many of the people into exile. The Israelite king was Hoshea.
597 B.C. - Nebuchadnezzar besieged Jerusalem. King Jehoiachin surrendered and was taken captive along with 10,000 Israelites. He also took the treasures from the temple and the royal palace (See 2 Kings 24:10-17).
He installed Jehoiachin's uncle, Mattaniah, as king, changing his name to Zedekiah.
587/586 B.C. - The Babylonians, under Nebuchadnezzar, captured Jerusalem, the capital city of the southern kingdom of Judah, destroyed the temple of Solomon, and took many of the people into captivity in Babylon (see 2 Kings 25). Zedekiah was forced to watch his two sons be executed and then had his own eyes pulled out before being taken to exile in Babylon.
Cyrus
c600 B.C. - Cyrus was born.
Herodotus, Clesias and Xenophon present contradictory accounts of Cyrus' birth and infancy.
Herodotus says Cyrus was the son of the Persian King, Cambyses I and the Median Princess, Mandane, daughter of the Midian king, Astyages.
Herodotus describes Cyrus' infancy in ways that seem to be legend rather than history. It revolves around drams that Astyages had that Cyrus would overthrow him and Astyages' attempts to get rid of Cyrus.
Clesias says he was the son of a Persian brigand, Artadates. He says that Cyrus was a cupbearer in Astyages' court before overthrowing him. Cyrus then adopted Astyages as his grandfather and married his daughter.
Many historians agree that Cyrus spent part of his youth in Astyages' court.
Contemporary Achaemenid inscriptions say that Cyrus was the son of the Persian king, Cambyses.
Herodotus says Cyrus took Astyages as a grandfather, gaining legitimacy in the Median court.
c560 B.C. - Cyrus took the throne of the small kingdom of Persia, after the death of his father.
553-550 B.C. - Cyrus, with the help of a Median general, Harpagus, conquered Ecbatana, the capital of Media, thus uniting the two Iranian tribes, the Medes and the Persians. His government for the new kingdom included both Persians and Median officials. This became the foundation of the Achaemenid Empire.
Harpagus had gained the support of the Medians who were unhappy with Astyages' rule.
Astyages though, on hearing of Cyrus' rebellion, had commanded Harpagus to lead the Median army against Cyrus. In the battle, Harpagus defected from Astyages' side to Cyrus'.
Cyrus spared the life of his grandfather, Astyages.
Astyages allied with his brother-in-law, Croessus of Lydia, Nabonidus of Babylon, and Amasus II of Egypt against Cyrus.
547 B.C. - Cyrus, with the help of Harpagus, defeated the Lydians (in the region of Turkey).
Some sources say Croessus was taken as an advisor for Cyrus. Others say he was executed.
Harpagus completed the conquest of Asian Minor and much of the Mediterranean coast.
539 B.C. - Cyrus invaded the Babylonians empire, then ruled by Nabonidus.
Nabonidus had neglected the worship of the patron god of Babylon, Marduk, and had imposed heavy labour on his people.
The Cyrus Cylinder justifies the conquest claiming that Cyrus was to be a devout worshipper of Marduk and had relieved the people of the heavy labour. The Cyrus Cylinder appealed to the Babylonians and encouraged them to accept their new king.
Cyrus had a policy of respecting the religions of conquered peoples. He freed slaves in Babylon, many of whom were Jews, and allowed them to return to their homelands. The Cyrus Cylinder does not mention the Jews but it does describe how Cyrus liberated captured people and returned their goods.
538 B.C. - Cyrus issued a decree allowing the Jews to return to Jerusalem and Judah and returned the treasures taken by Nebuchadnezzar. While most stayed in Babylon, about 50,000 Jews did return in waves over the next 110 years.
Ezra 1 records Cyrus' decree and the return of some exiles with Sheshbazzar, along with the temple treasures.
Ezra 2 records the return of 42,360 Jews (plus various others) under the leadership of Zerubbabel.
Cyrus ruled over the largest empire that had existed but left the administration and religion of each captured region intact. His magnanimous approach won the loyalty of the conquered peoples.
c530 B.C. Cyrus died. He was succeeded by Cambyses II, his son.
Various sources tell different stories. Cyrus died in battle or peacefully in his capital, or beheaded by Queen Tomyris. He was buried in his tomb in Pasargadae.
After Cyrus
522 B.C. - Cambyses II was succeeded by Smerdis the Usurper
522 B.C. - Darius the Great began his reign.
486 B.C. - King Darius died. He was succeeded by Xerxes I (Ahasuerus).
The book of Esther describes an edict to kill all Jews in the empire, foiled by Esther's appeal to her husband, King Xerxes. It is believed these events started about 583 or 582 and concluded in March 573 B.C.
465 B.C. - Xerxes died and Artaxerxes began his reign
c458 B.C. - Ezra 7 describes Ezra's return, during the reign of King Artaxerxes of Persia, along with more Jews. He was authorised to take offerings of silver and gold and to buy animals for sacrifice and the operation of the temple. He was also delegated authority to impose taxes and to appoint magistrates and judges to administer justice, and to teach the law of God.
c444 B.C. - Nehemiah describes Nehemiah's return, during the reign of Artaxerxes, with the objective of rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem.
N.B. the dates of Ezra's and Nehemiah's returns are uncertain as is who returned first.
Nehemiah 1:1 suggest he returned in the 20th year (of Artaxerxes?).
330 B.C. - The Persian Empire fell to the armies of Alexander the Great, having remained prosperous and stable for 200 years.