Trending Now - Possible Discovery of Musketeer D'artagnan's Remains in Church
WHO:
Deacon Jos Valke stated, "I immediately called Wim because he has been working on d’Artagnan for more than 20 years."
Archaeologist Wim Dijkman is a retired archaeologist from Maastricht.
Charles de Batz de Castelmore, known as d'Artagnan, a French soldier and musketeer.
Wim Dijkman, archaeologist searching for d'Artagnan's remains for 28 years.
Jos Valke, Deacon present during the excavation.
WHAT:
The skeleton was found in the nave of a modern church whose origins date back to at least the 13th century.
A statue honoring d'Artagnan exists in Maastricht, symbolizing courage and friendship.
The bullet that killed d'Artagnan was identified as being struck in the throat by a musket ball during the French siege of Maastricht on June 25, 1673.
The church had previously been identified as a possible resting place for d'Artagnan before the discovery of the skeleton.
The skeleton was found in front of a church altar in the Church of St Peter and St Paul in Maastricht.
The bullet that killed d'Artagnan was identified as being struck in the throat by a musket ball on June 25, 1673.
A contemporary letter indicated that d'Artagnan had been buried in consecrated ground.
Deacon Jos Valke stated, "When you add it all up, then, it seems plausible to us. But of course nothing is certain yet."
A French coin found near the skeleton has been dated to 1660.
The bullet that killed d'Artagnan was identified as a lead bullet.
The DNA sample retrieved is from a jawbone of the skeleton.
The investigation is being conducted to determine if the DNA matches that of descendants of d'Artagnan's father.
The skeleton was found during repairs related to a subsided section of the floor in the Church of St Peter and St Paul in the Wolder district of Maastricht.
Dijkman mentioned, "DNA tests should be complete within the next few weeks."
A skeleton believed to belong to d'Artagnan was discovered in a church.
A French coin was found near the skeleton.
The skeleton was removed from the church and is now in an archaeological institute in Deventer, Germany.
A DNA sample was taken from the skeleton on March 13th, 2026, and is being analyzed in a laboratory in Munich.
The bullet that killed d'Artagnan was found at chest level, matching historical accounts.
WHERE:
The skeleton was discovered in the Church of St Peter and St Paul in the Wolder district of Maastricht.
The skeleton was found in Maastricht, Netherlands, specifically in the nave of a modern church.
The archaeological institute where the skeleton is now located is in Deventer, eastern Germany.
WHEN:
The skeleton was discovered during repairs in February 2026, specifically after a section of the floor subsided.
D'Artagnan was killed during the Siege of Maastricht in 1673.
The skeleton was discovered during repairs related to a partial floor collapse in February 2026.
DNA sample taken on March 13th, 2026.
WHY:
Deacon Jos Valke stated, "The indications are very strong," regarding the clues suggesting the skeleton belongs to d'Artagnan.
Deacon Jos Valke stated, "Well, under an altar — it couldn’t be much holier than that," emphasizing the significance of the burial site.
Valke noted, "He lay buried under the altar in consecrated ground," indicating the significance of the burial site.
The location of the grave, under the altar, suggests the skeleton belonged to an important person, as only royalty or significant figures were buried there.
HOW:
Dijkman mentioned that he had been petitioning church officials to allow excavations at the property for 25 years.
The investigation has been described as a "top-level investigation" by archaeologist Wim Dijkman.
The church had previously been identified as a possible resting place for d'Artagnan before the discovery of the skeleton.
Dijkman stated, "All kinds of analyses and investigations are underway both domestically and abroad," indicating the scope of the investigation.
The discovery occurred during church repairs, which revealed the skeleton after a partial floor collapse.
Ongoing analyses and investigations are being conducted domestically and abroad to confirm the identity of the skeleton.
(UPDATED March 26, 2026 23:09 UTC)
A skeleton believed to belong to d'Artagnan was discovered in the nave of a church with origins dating back to at least the 13th century, which had previously been considered a possible resting place for the famed figure. Deacon Jos Valke expressed strong confidence in the clues linking the skeleton to d'Artagnan, who was killed by a musket ball during the French siege of Maastricht on June 25, 1673. Dijkman, who has been advocating for excavations at the site for 25 years, played a key role in bringing attention to this historic location.
--
(UPDATED March 26, 2026 21:08 UTC)
A skeleton believed to be that of d'Artagnan was discovered in front of the altar at the Church of St Peter and St Paul in Maastricht, with a musket ball identified as the cause of death, striking him in the throat on June 25, 1673. A contemporary letter suggests he was buried in consecrated ground, leading deacon Jos Valke to comment that while the evidence seems plausible, nothing is certain yet. Archaeologist Wim Dijkman has labeled the ongoing investigation as a "top-level investigation."
--
(UPDATED March 26, 2026 19:21 UTC)
An investigation into a skeleton found under an altar in a church has revealed a French coin dated to 1660 and a lead bullet identified as the one that killed d'Artagnan. The DNA sample taken from a jawbone is being analyzed to see if it matches descendants of d'Artagnan's father, with Deacon Jos Valke highlighting the site's significance by stating, "Well, under an altar — it couldn’t be much holier than that." This church had been previously identified as a potential resting place for d'Artagnan before the discovery of the skeleton.
--
(UPDATED March 26, 2026 11:17 UTC)
A skeleton was discovered in February during repairs to a subsided section of the floor in the Church of St Peter and St Paul in the Wolder district of Maastricht, with Deacon Jos Valke noting its burial under the altar in consecrated ground. Retired archaeologist Wim Dijkman, who has been working on the d’Artagnan project for over 20 years, mentioned that DNA tests should be complete within the next few weeks. He also indicated that various analyses and investigations are currently underway both domestically and abroad.
--
(UPDATED March 26, 2026 00:34 UTC)
A skeleton believed to belong to the legendary French soldier and musketeer d'Artagnan was discovered in a church in Maastricht, Netherlands, during repairs that revealed the remains after a partial floor collapse. The excavation, led by archaeologist Wim Dijkman, also uncovered a French coin near the skeleton and a bullet that matches historical accounts of d'Artagnan's death during the Siege of Maastricht in 1673. The skeleton has since been moved to an archaeological institute in Deventer, Germany, where a DNA sample taken on March 13, 2026, is currently being analyzed to confirm its identity.