How did Louis XIV respond as he faced execution?
Death of the Sun King
The final years of Louis XIV's reign were marred by his persecution of Protestants and bitter losses in war. His personal life was also marked by tragedy. Between 1701 and 1712 his brother, son, grandson, and beloved granddaughter-in-law all died. Louis himself died an agonizing death from gangrene on September 1, 1715. He was succeeded by his great-grandson, King Louis XV.
http://www.royalty.nu/Europe/France/LouisXIV.html
Did you mean Louis VI????
I mean Louis XVI not XIV i'm sorry.
Here's an excerpt about Louis XVI's facing his death from How Did They Die by Norman and Betty Donaldson (St. Martin's Press; 1980).
"Louis' final meeting with his family took place the same evening [as the Decrees were read to him]in the dining room, where he could be watched through the glazed doors. It was plain to the observers from the agitationof the queen and princesses that he was telling them of the condemnation. At 10:15 the king rose and, as he moved with his family to the door, only he was controlled. He once more embraced them tenderly and said, 'Farewell! farewell!' With much difficulty the abbe obtained from the Church of the Capuchins of the Marais the articles necessary to perfrom Mass the next morning. The king, asking to be called at 5:00 A.M., fell into a profound sleep.
"As his valet Jean-Baptiste Clery lighted the fire the next morning, Monday, 21 January, 1793, the king awoke, remarking he was glad he had slept soundly, as the previous day had been fatiguing. . . . he heard Mass and received Communion. . . . During the two-hour coach journey the king and the abbe took turns reading aloud from de Firmont's breviary, their calm astounding the two attendant gendarmes. . . . As one of the executioners opened the door, the king admonished the gendarmes to do no harm to the abbe. As soon as the king descended from the coach, the executioners tried to remove his outer garments. He pushed them away and with great dignity removed his coat, collar and shirt. He was outraged when they tried to bind his hands, and for an agonizing moment the abbe was afraid that there was going to be violence.
"Finally Louis submitted and with great difficulty mounted the steep steps to the scaffold. With a glance he silenced the drummers and in a firm loud voice declared, 'I die innocent of all the crimes of which I am charged. I forgive those who are guilty of my death, and I pray God that the blood which you are about to shed may never be required of france.' Angrily, General Santerre ordered the drums to drown the king's voice. the executioners fitted his neck into the groove directly below the knife. In his final moment Louis shouted, 'May my blood cement the happiness of Fr___' The executioner picked up the severed head, raised it on high, and showed it to the people on all four sides of the platform."
Louis XVI's response as he faced execution was one of dignity and composure. According to the excerpt from "How Did They Die" by Norman and Betty Donaldson, Louis had a final meeting with his family before his execution. He embraced them tenderly and said, "Farewell! farewell!" Then, he prepared himself for the execution by asking for Mass to be performed and receiving Communion.
On the morning of Monday, January 21, 1793, Louis awoke and remarked that he was glad to have slept soundly. He heard Mass and received Communion. During the two-hour coach journey to the scaffold, Louis and the abbe took turns reading aloud. Their calm demeanor surprised the two gendarmes who were accompanying them.
When they arrived at the scaffold, the executioners tried to remove Louis' outer garments and bind his hands. However, Louis protested and was outraged by their actions. There was a tense moment when violence seemed imminent, but eventually, Louis submitted and proceeded with great difficulty to mount the steep steps.
Once on the scaffold, Louis silenced the drummers and declared in a firm, loud voice, "I die innocent of all the crimes of which I am charged. I forgive those who are guilty of my death, and I pray God that the blood which you are about to shed may never be required of France." General Santerre, in anger, ordered the drums to drown out Louis' voice.
Finally, the executioners fitted Louis' neck into the groove below the knife. In his final moment, Louis shouted, "May my blood cement the happiness of France." The executioner then raised Louis' severed head and showed it to the people on all four sides of the platform.
Overall, Louis XVI faced his execution with dignity, composure, and a final plea for the happiness of France.