300 years later, Versailles palace ‘livetweets’ Sun King’s death

PARIS - To mark the 300th anniversary of the "Sun King" Louis XIV's death on Tuesday, the Palace of Versailles turned to modern-day town crier Twitter to relay his slow and agonizing demise from gangrene.

"Breaking News. Louis XIV passed away," the palace said from its account @CVersailles at 0615 GMT on Tuesday, after livetweeting the king's illness as if it were taking place today.

1715 - #LouisXIV addresses his tearful manservants: "Did you think I was immortal? I never thought so myself." pic.twitter.com/skeZ1mKjYu

— ChateaudeVersailles (@CVersailles) August 28, 2015

1715 - The Brun's special elixir : the Court wants to believe to a miracle but #LouisXIV remains very weak pic.twitter.com/MzsnNB77YR

— ChateaudeVersailles (@CVersailles) August 28, 2015

1715 - This morning, #LouisXIV attended Mass in his bedroom pic.twitter.com/kjU55AUbji

— ChateaudeVersailles (@CVersailles) August 29, 2015

1715 - Doctors and courtiers are leaving. Only few people stay with #LouisXIV pic.twitter.com/pmAvBlvDTB

— ChateaudeVersailles (@CVersailles) August 31, 2015

1715 - The Princesse de Conti, the King's daughter, is inconsolable #LouisXIV pic.twitter.com/HSQLXGrv90

— ChateaudeVersailles (@CVersailles) August 31, 2015

1715 - #LouisXIV has heard the Prayer for the Dying, the Ave Maria and the Credo pic.twitter.com/PlGhJANOx5

— ChateaudeVersailles (@CVersailles) August 31, 2015

1715 - Father Le Tellier is spending the night at the bedside of #LouisXIV pic.twitter.com/yGD7lHBgyt

— ChateaudeVersailles (@CVersailles) August 31, 2015

1715 - #BreakingNews #LouisXIV passed away #LeRoiestMort pic.twitter.com/AyAG51e47D

— ChateaudeVersailles (@CVersailles) September 1, 2015

1715 - #LeRoiEstMort The King’s valets have closed his eyelids and changed his shirt. #LouisXIV pic.twitter.com/eLE3TuSdHo

— ChateaudeVersailles (@CVersailles) September 1, 2015

1715 - #LeRoiEstMort "I leave you now, but the State will remain forever" #LouisXIV pic.twitter.com/a9EfsKboHW

— ChateaudeVersailles (@CVersailles) September 1, 2015

The hashtag #leroiestmort ("the king is dead" in English) was rolled out to mark the anniversary of his death at 76 years old on September 1, 1715.

With 72 years on the throne, king Louis XIV was the longest-reigning monarch in European history, overseeing a period of glory in France in which he built the glittering palace west of Paris.

Accompanied with paintings and drawings from the era, the reconstruction of Louis's death for the Internet age was done "from numerous historical accounts," the palace said in a statement.

These notably came from Philippe de Courcillon, Marquis de Dangeau, a French author who kept a detailed diary of his life, as well as the Anthoine brothers who worked as the king's valets.

"The king's valets have closed his eyelids and changed his shirt," read one tweet.

"Louis XIV's body is on display in his bed chamber. The whole Court is running to see him."

The series of tweets will continue up until the king's funeral. — Agence France-Presse