All for one and one for all. So goes the motto of the fictional Three Musketeers written by Alexandre Dumas. This much is well known, but what is less well known is that the hero of the story, D’Artagnan, was a real historical figure, with archaeologists now saying they may have found his remains in a Dutch church.
The real D’Artagnan was known as Charles de Batz de Castelmore and died during the siege of Maastricht in 1673 while in the service of Louis XIV, the “Sun King”. In the novel, D’Artagnan’s great opponent was Cardinal Richelieu, also a real historical figure, albeit one who died during the reign of the Sun King’s father, Louis XIII. It is unlikely that the two ever actually met.
When the real D’Artagnan was killed during the siege of Maastricht it is likely that he was buried in or near the town due to the summer heat.
St Peter and Paul Church in Maastricht has long been rumoured to hold his remains. An excavation of the floor of the church recently revealed a skeleton, buried below an altar. The skeleton was found with a bullet and a coin dated to 1660.
While the identity of the skeleton has not yet been confirmed, further tests are being carried out to determine if D’Artagnan has truly been found. Tests on bone fragments are being conducted in both Germany and the Netherlands to determine the sex and age of the skeleton.
Speaking to broadcaster Omroep, Limburg archaeologist Wim Dijkman said he was waiting for the results of a DNA analysis before coming to any conclusions.
"My expectations are high … I've already been researching d'Artagnan's grave for 28 years. This could be the highlight of my career."
D’Artagnan’s three companions, Athos, Porthos and Aramis, were also based on real historical figures. While Athos and Porthos were likely buried in local parish churches, Aramis’ final resting place is unknown.
