Underneath a church, the remains believed to be those of the famous musketeer D’Artagnan have been found more than 350 years after his death.
Charles de Batz de Castelmore, known as Count D’Artagnan, was a skilled marksman who inspired the character in Alexandre Dumas’s adventure tales, including the renowned Three Musketeers.
A trusted companion of Louis XIV of France, D’Artagnan met his demise during the Siege of Maastricht in 1673. Despite extensive searches, his body had remained elusive until this recent discovery.
Deacon Jos Valke from St Peter and Paul Church in Maastricht was present when the skeleton was unearthed beneath the church’s floor. He expressed strong confidence that the remains are likely those of D’Artagnan.
Deacon Valke mentioned that the church had not been previously investigated, and the decision to excavate beneath it arose after some floor tiles were accidentally broken.
Upon discovering an unknown wall, further excavation was initiated, leading to the involvement of an archaeologist as suspicions grew about the significance of the find.
The skeleton was found directly below the spot where the altar had stood two centuries earlier, causing a moment of silence as the potential identity of the remains sank in.
Speaking to the BBC, Deacon Valke recounted, “We fell silent upon discovering the initial bone.
“He was interred on sacred ground beneath the former altar; we located the bullet responsible for his demise and a coin from 1660 in his grave, a coin from the bishop who presided over the Roi Soleil’s Mass.”
DNA analysis will now be conducted to confirm the identity of the bones as D’Artagnan’s, with a comparison planned against a living descendant currently residing in Avignon, France.
On March 13, a part of the skeleton, including teeth and jaw, was sent to a Munich laboratory for testing, with results anticipated in the near future.
A spokesperson for the local government in Maastricht informed Dutch media that the final determination of whether the skeletal remains belong to D’Artagnan hinges on the ongoing DNA research in Munich.
Renowned for his role in Alexandre Dumas’s classic novel The Three Musketeers, D’Artagnan is a central figure who has been immortalized in various film and TV adaptations, including a 1948 portrayal by Gene Kelly.
Although not originally part of the trio, the character evolves in the narrative to become an integral friend and leader, earning the honorary title of the fourth musketeer.
In reality, D’Artagnan served as the captain of the Musketeers of the Guard under Louis XIV, meeting his fate at the siege of Maastricht during the Franco-Dutch War after sustaining a fatal musket wound to the throat.
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