Possible discovery of D’Artagnan’s remains in the Netherlands

(SeaPRwire) –   The skeletal remains of the legendary musketeer, the protagonist of Alexandre Dumas’ renowned novel, are believed to have been found at the site where he reportedly met his end.

According to Dutch regional broadcaster L1 on Wednesday, archaeologists suggest they might have unearthed the skeletal remains of the fabled D’Artagnan, the character famously brought to life by French author Alexandre Dumas in ‘The Three Musketeers’.

The discovery was made in the Dutch city of Maastricht. Historical records indicate that Charles de Batz de Castelmore, the real-life inspiration for the novel’s fourth musketeer, perished there from a musket shot in June 1673, during King Louis XIV’s siege of the city.

Historians have long held that Louis XIV arranged for D’Artagnan, who commanded his elite Musketeers of the Guard, to be interred in what was then the village of Wolder, now integrated into Maastricht. Until now, no verified remains had ever been located.

L1 reported that the grave was unearthed beneath a church situated in what is currently a rural district of the city. Renovators stumbled upon the discovery while conducting maintenance work, following a floor collapse within the building last month. The present-day chapel is believed to be the second or third edifice constructed on the historic site, with origins dating back to the 11th century.

“The tomb’s placement suggests it belongs to an individual of significance: the skeleton lay precisely where the altar once stood, and in that era, only royalty or other prominent figures were interred beneath the altar,” L1 quoted Deacon Jos Valke, who attended the initial excavation, as stating.

The broadcaster further reported that a French coin and a musket bullet were discovered alongside the remains. DNA extracted from the teeth has been dispatched to a laboratory in Munich for comparative analysis with a descendant of the de Batz family.

D’Artagnan achieved national heroic status in France and global recognition following the release of Dumas’ 1844 novel, a work that has since prompted numerous screen adaptations.

Among these, the 1979 Soviet mini-series ‘D’Artagnan and Three Musketeers’ stands out as one of Russia’s most beloved adaptations, celebrated for its distinctive music and humor.