Possible Discovery of D’Artagnan’s Remains
Archaeologists might have stumbled upon the remains of Charles de Butts de Castelmois d’Artagnan, the famed French musketeer who served as the inspiration for Alexandre Dumas’ novel, The Three Musketeers.
Local officials reported on Wednesday that human bones were found in front of the altar of St. Peter and Paul Church in Maastricht, Netherlands.
According to a report, workers uncovered the skeleton after a section of the church floor collapsed earlier this year.
Researchers are currently analyzing DNA samples from the jawbone to verify if they match with D’Artagnan’s descendants. Authorities mentioned that this church has long been thought to be a potential burial site for him.
Wim Dijkmann, an archaeologist, described the excavation as a “top-level investigation,” expressing a desire to determine, as accurately as possible, whether it was indeed the iconic musketeer who met his end in Maastricht.
D’Artagnan, born in 1611, served Louis XIV, also known as the “Sun King,” and attained the position of captain in the elite Musketeers of the Guard. He was killed on June 25, 1673, during a siege by French forces near the city.
It’s believed that he was buried nearby, as transporting his body to France during the sweltering summer was impractical. Church deacon Jos Valcke indicated that there were additional clues steering researchers toward the theory of D’Artagnan’s burial: among these, a 1660 coin and a piece of a lead bullet were discovered close to the site.
Contemporary accounts suggest that he was likely laid to rest in consecrated ground. “When you consider everything together… it seems plausible,” Valcke mentioned, although he acknowledged the uncertainty still surrounding the find.
Dumas first serialized The Three Musketeers in May 1844, granting D’Artagnan everlasting fame through the novel, which has been adapted in countless films, plays, and shows.
This discovery adds to several notable archaeological finds in the Netherlands in recent years, including a medieval sword with unique markings found by construction workers in a river last summer.
