Dutch workers may have found soldier who inspired The Three Musketeers

This article appeared as part of the Daily Sensemaker newsletter – one story a day to make sense of the world. To receive it in your inbox, featuring content exclusive to the newsletter, sign up for free here.

Workers renovating a Dutch church have possibly uncovered the skeleton of Charles de Batz de Castelmore, the 17th century soldier who inspired The Three Musketeers. Castelmore, known as d’Artagnan, was a French war hero and spy who served as the right-hand man of King Louis XIV before being killed in the battle of Maastricht in 1673. It is known that he was buried on the spot, which happens to be near the site of the St Peter and Paul church. The deacon, Jos Valke, says he is 99% certain that the remains, which were found under a collapsed floor, belong to d’Artagnan. DNA tests will need to confirm this, but Valke is right to be confident. The body was found next to a French coin. Inside the ribs of the skeleton were the remains of a musket ball.