Look for the musketeer D'Artagnan under a church in Maastricht
An accident leads to the discovery of bones that could be those of the musketeer, who died during the Franco-Dutch War in 1673
BarcelonaThe musketeer D'Artagnan was made famous by the pen of Alexandre Dumas from the 19th century, but a recent discovery has reminded everyone that Charles de Batz-Castelmore, the Count of Artagnan, was actually a knight of flesh and blood during the 17th century. Precisely because the remains of his body could have been located under a church in Maastricht. The fate of the protagonist of The Three Musketeers has been a mystery for centuries.
After the partial collapse of the floor of the church of St. Peter and St. Paul, bricklayers and archaeologists began to work on the rehabilitation of the space. Under what was previously the altar, where only important figures were buried, some bones were found. There are historiographical indications that suggest it could be the Gascon soldier, who was a trusted man of King Louis XIV and head of the musketeers who were responsible for the monarch's protection.
D'Artagnan died in 1963 during the siege of Maastricht, in an army offensive to conquer the city. It is documented that he died from the impact of a bullet in the neck or chest, and it is believed that due to the war and high temperatures, the body would not have been repatriated to France. The skeleton found has a musket projectile in the thoracic area, which reinforces the historians' hypothesis. With the remains was a French coin, which according to experts could indicate the status of the buried person.
To verify his identity, DNA samples have been taken, mainly from the teeth, which will be compared with the genetic material of a descendant of the De Batz family, as the lineage is still preserved through the paternal line in the south of France, near Avignon. A laboratory in Munich will determine the match. The bones will also be studied to determine age and biological sex. The results will be known within a few weeks and could open a diplomatic war over what should happen to the remains.
D'Artagnan is a national hero in France. Louis XIV, the monarch with the longest reign in the history of European monarchy (1643-1715), was the one who reinforced the royal guard of musketeers, entrusting them with state affairs, espionage work, and secret missions. But the figure of D'Artagnan has transcended military history to become a global cultural icon, not only due to Dumas' novels but also to highly impactful audiovisual products like the 80s cartoons "D'Artacan and the Three Musketeers", and its sequels.