Remains found under the floor of a church in the Netherlands may be those of the famous musketeer d’Artagnan.
Archaeologists believe these may be the ‘lost’ bones of the soldier who inspired the hero of the famous novel, The Three Musketeers.
Workers found a grave in front of the altar containing human remains after part of the floor of St. Peter and Paul Church in Maastricht collapsed.
Experts are now trying to confirm through DNA testing whether the skeleton is that of the famous French gunsmith, Charles de Batz de Castelmore d’Artagnan, with several objects found in the grave also pointing to the identity of the owner.
D’Artagnan became famous more than 150 years after his death when a fictionalized version of his exploits presented him as the hero of Alexandre Dumas’s 1844 novel.
The real-life musketeer served the French King Louis XIV, eventually becoming captain-lieutenant of the Musketeers of the Guard.
The nobleman was killed by a musket ball in the neck during the French siege of Maastricht in the Franco-Dutch War on 25 June 1673.
It would have been difficult to transport his body back to Paris in the heat of summer.
The church where the body was found is near where the French army camp was located.
Experts said a bullet fragment and a coin, dating from the relevant period, were also found next to the body.
A letter from the time of his death stated that he was buried on consecrated ground.
José Valcke, deacon of the Church of St. Peter and Paul, helped locate the skeleton and is 99% certain that the remains are those of Charles de Batz de Castelmore – better known as Count d’Artagnan.
This skeleton was found under the Church of St. Peter and Paul in Maastricht. Photo: Reuters
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Mr Valcke joked: “Under an altar – it can’t be more sacred than that. When you add it all up, well, it seems plausible to us. But of course, nothing is certain yet.”
The church was previously identified as the possible resting place of a 17th-century soldier.
The DNA obtained from the jawbone is now being tested with DNA from D’Artagnan’s descendants to see if there is a match.
Archaeologist Wim Dickmann told Reuters: “This has really become a top-level investigation, in which we want to be absolutely certain, or as certain as possible, whether this is the famous gunman who was killed here near Maastricht.”
