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The possible discovery of D’Artagnan’s skeleton under a church in Maastricht, Netherlands, reignites the search for scientific confirmation 350 years after the death of the military man who inspired the protagonist of The Three Musketeers
A skeleton, remains that may belong to D’Artagnan was found beneath the Church of Saint Peter and Saint Paul in Maastricht, Netherlands, 350 years after the Frenchman’s death, in a discovery linked to the temple’s renovation and subjected to testing.
Remains found in the church
The remains were located in the church’s basement during work prompted by cracks in the floor. Staff and Deacon Jos Valke accessed the lower area and found a structural wall, paving the way for archaeological investigation.
Archaeologist Wim Dijkman, who had been searching for 28 years for the whereabouts of the French officer, was called to coordinate the excavation. The work led to the removal of the skeleton from an area beneath the church’s old altar.
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Indications of the burial
According to researchers, the burial site and the objects found with the remains reinforce the hypothesis that the body belongs to D’Artagnan, captain-lieutenant of the king’s musketeers, Louis XIV, and confidant of the Sun King.
Jos Valke stated to the L1 Nieuws portal that the military man was buried under the altar, in consecrated ground. He mentioned that there was a French coin from the time in the grave and that the bullet was at chest height.
DNA will still decide
Despite the strong indications, definitive confirmation has not yet been made. Samples of genetic material have been sent to a laboratory in Munich, Germany, where DNA tests will be conducted on the found remains.
The biological profile obtained by researchers will be compared to that of a direct descendant of the count, who currently lives in Avignon, France. Dijkman told the portal that he is cautious as a scientist but has high expectations.
D’Artagnan
Historically, D’Artagnan died in June 1673, during the siege of Maastricht, in the context of the Franco-Dutch War. According to the cited historical record, the military man was said to have been hit by a musket ball in the throat.
Dumas
The figure of D’Artagnan inspired the protagonist of The Three Musketeers, a novel published by Alexandre Dumas in 1844. The popularity of the work brought the character to cinema and theater, with portrayals by Gene Kelly, Gabriel Byrne, and Rodrigo Santoro.
With information from Revista Planeta.
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