The skeleton of Charles de Batz de Castelmore d'Artagnan, the historical figure behind Alexandre Dumas' famous musketeer, may have been discovered in a Dutch church. Workers at St Peter and Paul Church in Maastricht uncovered human remains beneath tiles after part of the floor subsided in February.
Key Takeaways
Human remains believed to be those of Charles de Batz de Castelmore d'Artagnan, the historical figure behind Alexandre Dumas' famous musketeer, were found beneath tiles in St Peter and Paul Church in Maastricht. DNA testing is underway to confirm the identity.
- Remains discovered after floor subsided at Dutch church
- Archaeologists conducting 'top-level investigation'
- Coin from 1660 and lead bullet fragment found with remains
- D'Artagnan died June 25, 1673 during Siege of Maastricht
- DNA testing in Germany to compare against descendants
Archaeologists are conducting what they describe as a 'top-level investigation,' aiming for absolute certainty through DNA testing against known descendants. The discovery has sparked significant interest, with deacon Jos Valke expressing 99% confidence that the remains belong to d'Artagnan, citing clues like a coin dated from 1660 and part of a lead bullet found at the burial spot.
The church stands near where the French army camped during the Franco-Dutch War. D'Artagnan was killed on June 25, 1673, during the Siege of Maastricht after being struck in the throat by a musket ball. His body is believed to have been buried locally due to summer heat making transportation difficult.
The remains were found under where the altar table had stood 200 years ago. A sample from the skeleton is being analyzed in Germany, while other bones are being assessed in Deventer for age and origin. The discovery has generated significant interest as it could confirm long-standing rumors about d'Artagnan's resting place.
The church has long been considered a possible burial site for d'Artagnan. Additional clues supporting this theory include the location under an altar, which contradicts historical accounts of his burial in unconsecrated ground. The investigation continues to uncover more details about this potential significant archaeological find.
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