Kaikeyi was the third and youngest wife of
Dashratha, King of Ayodhya[?]. She was the step-mother of
Rama and mother of
Bharata[?]. She was an apt charioteer and had saved the life of Dashratha during a war. As a sign of his gratitude and love to his wife the king promised her three boons. She used this favour later when Rama was about to be crowned as the prince. She asked the king to have her son Bharata to be crowned as the prince instead and send Rama in a 14-years long exile. The latter boon was cashed in, in order to sent him away prom public eye as he was very popular with the masses and his presence could have resulted in a hyteric backlash from the people.