D'artagnan's bones believed found under dutch church

The remains of Count Charles de Batz de Castelmore, the real-life inspiration behind Alexandre Dumas' legendary character D'Artagnan, may have been discovered under a Dutch church.

Dutch church unearths possible d'artagnan remains

According to the BBC, Jos Valke, a deacon at St Peter and Paul Church in Maastricht, helped uncover the skeleton and is nearly certain it belongs to the close aide of King Louis XIV, who was fatally wounded during the Siege of Maastricht in 1673.

Archaeologist Wim Dijkman, who has spent 28 years researching D'Artagnan's grave, was enlisted to verify the findings. While Dijkman awaits DNA test results before confirming the remains, Valke is more confident, citing a bullet wound and a 1660 coin from the bishop who attended Mass for the Roi Soleil.

This potential discovery comes as no surprise, given Dumas' novels were inspired by real historical figures. The Musketeers of the 17th century - D'Artagnan, Athos, Porthos, and Aramis - have been immortalized on screen since the silent era, with adaptations including Disney's 1993 film, Paul W.S. Anderson's 2011 take, the BBC series, and more.