Louis XIV: The World's Longest Reigning Monarch | 1715: The Sun King is Dead | Real Royalty

His reign was the longest in world history. In fact, his contemporaries thought the Sun King to be immortal. But in the summer of 1715, Louis XIV finally met his fate and died at the age of 76 in his architectural masterpiece: the Chateau of Versailles. His painful agony due to a devastating disease – gangrene – lasted 23 days and revealed the incompetence of physicians, furtive court intrigues and jealousies. His death caused a crisis of succession with consequences that would affect the whole of Europe. Louis XIV’s passing brought an end to the Grand Siècle and heralded the birth of the Enlightenment.

Louis XIV faced his death with the same panache he had shown throughout his entire reign. It was a magnificent show, a ‘good death’, performed in public. The final act of an extraordinary life that would seal the legend of the greatest king of France.

Filmed in Versailles, Notre-Dame of Paris and at the Basilica of Saint Denis, this film blends historical reconstructions, rare archives, period journals, and the contributions of contemporary experts, to pay homage as never before to the most legendary of France’s kings.

From Elizabeth II to Cleopatra, Real Royalty peels back the curtain to give a glimpse into the lives of some of the most influential families in the world, with new full length documentaries posted every week covering the monarchies of today and all throughout history.

[a.m.]

The fact that this was posted the DAY AFTER queen elizabeth ii died... king Louis xiv flexing from beyond the grave

[GlamorousTitanic]

Well, Louis’s record is secure once again. We will probably never see another monarch with such a long reign. Louis held this record for the sole reason that he was so young when he came to the throne, only 4 years old.

[eurostar]

Its sad that his dying speech to his grandson fell on deaf ears. His grandson didnt follow those instructions at all, he did quite the opposite.

[kaysmith]

Louis XIV's ghost today: "phew, my record's safe once again!"

[babalonbarbie]

Funny how many people don't know the difference between "reigned" and "ruled" QEII never ruled. Louis was an absolute monarch, QEII was a constitutional figurehead.

[who_m]

I got no idea why but I feel like France had always outshined all other nations throughout its history with so many great, brave and popular figures! Charlemagne, Joan of Arc, King Louis XIV, King Louis XVI, Napoleon, Queen Marie Antoinette, Marie Curie (maybe) and probably more than those 🇨🇵🇨🇵

[MorganatorOne]

I had a fistula when I was in college. I didn't seek treatment quickly enough. I walked to class one day and up 3 flights of stairs. When I sat down, the fistula ruptured and the pain caused me to immediately pass out. I woke up in the hospital after the surgery to repair it. I have no memory of anything past climbing the stairs. The rest of the story was relayed to me by my roommate, who had walked with me to class (We were in the same period). It took me six months to recover. To this day I have sensitivity at the fistula site. So those who hoped Louis XIV would suffer got their wish...

[kaloarepo]

Don't forget that queen Elizabeth II has had the unprecedented advantage of receiving top medical attention and the benefits of the latest medical discoveries.Louis XIV lived in an age of no anaesthetics, no antibiotics, no vaccines, primitive hygeine even for royalty so his "record' is a lot lot more impressive.Actually he survived an operation for anal fistula-that would have been without anaesthesia and antibiotics -just think about it!!!I think Louis gets the kudos here not Liz.

[annfisher]

The Princess Palentine's wealth of correspondence are treasure for contemporary history.

[richwheeler]

Queen Elizabeth ii was a year and half off breaking his record, i was upset she was so close to actually becoming the worlds longest reiging monarch

[cazkellie]

Always been fascinated by king's of France

[unclebones]

I always reference King Louis XIV as "The Man With the Most Maginificent Legs" because of that one portrait where Louis is posing with just subtle sassiness. Like hand on hip, legs fully shown, and a look of "Yes, these calves are excellent😏"

[brontewcat]

However he became king as a 4 year old. The Queen is the longest reigning monarch as an adult.

I am not talking about ruling, just the length of reigns as an adult. All of these records are qualified in some way. The late Queen is the longest reigning monarch (of either a sovereign or a non sovereign realm) as an adult whose reign can be verified. I am not quite sure how the fact Louis XIV was an actual ruler, rather than a constitutional monarch changes the fact he was considered a child for at least a decade into his reign.



Edit:

The longest reigning monarch, whose reign is verified by historical record, is Sobhuza II of Swaziland. To say Louis XIV has the longest reign one has to add the qualification of a sovereign country. If a further qualification is added of an adult reign, then the record changes again. I really am very surprised at the number of people who feel the need to push back at the idea of looking at reigns as adult monarchs.

[charlesvanderhoog]

One of the things that must be realised is that Louis XIV only believed his incompetent doctors who were still practicing medieval medicine (humours, bloodletting and such nonsense). New-fangled ideas and progress in medicine routinely had been cast aside by him. This means he did not receive good treatment himself. It greatly frustrated his entourage. For instance, in the Netherlands, van Leeuwenhoek had invented the microscope and saw bacteria. Herman Boerhave, also Dutch, made medicine make a giant leap forward. It was all rejected by Louis XIV.

[JTScott]

Wow that’s horrific what they did to the bodies.

[francisheperi]

The French Catholic Monarchy was far grander in its ceremonies than today's British protestant monarchy.

[RoseRNCLNC]

Excellent Video, thank you for this Informstion. I have always been drawn to the story of this amazing King. My Ancestors were barons from France and I am more interested in this King, the story of king Louis and Mary of Scott and Henry VIII of England than other my own ancestry. Lol. The incredible palace and legacy left by Louis IV still stands for all to see. I love his advice to ease his people's burden to his successor. I know what he built came at a great cost to the people. 🙏🌹

[battlionyoutube]

God the replies, you lot are far too mad about the fact that QE2’s reign wasn’t as long. Calm down.

[enverhoxha]

Pharaoh Pepi Naferkare ii that rule ancient egypt for 94 years: Hold my Pyramid!

[savagedarksider]

Rest in peace the Queen and Otto Von Habsburg.