Archaeologists may have found d’Artagnan’s remains 350 years after legendary musketeer’s death

It was a case of death imitating art.

Archaeologists may have found the remains of Charles de Batz de Castelmore d’Artagnan at a church in the Netherlands, close to where the iconic French Musketeer — popularized in the “Three Musketeers” novels — died over three centuries ago during a bloody siege.

“This has truly become a ⁠top-level investigation, in which we want to be absolutely certain — or as certain as ​possible — whether it is the famous musketeer,” archaeologist ​Wim Dijkman told Reuters.

Per local outlet L1 Nieuws, workers uncovered a grave with a skeleton underneath tiles following a partial floor collapse at the St. Peter and Paul Church in Maastricht, which had long been rumored to be the resting place of a 17th-century French soldier.

Archaeologists have swabbed DNA from the jawbone and are currently analyzing it against d’Artagnan’s descendants to see if it’s really him.

The historical figure was immortalized in Alexander Dumas’ 1844 epic “The Three Musketeers” as the trusted confidant to French “Sun King” Louis XIV, before eventually becoming the fourth member of the series’ eponymous swashbuckling trio.

He has appeared in numerous film adaptations since and is commemorated in multiple statues, including one in Maastricht.

The real-life d’Artagnan died on June 25, 1673 after getting struck by a musket ball during the French siege of Maastricht in the Franco-Dutch War.

Since then, the famed swordsman’s final resting has eluded archaeologists ever since.

However, scientists believe that there are several clues that suggest this was where the Gascon nobleman was buried, including a French coin found near the remains in Maastricht and the location of the site itself.

“The location of the grave indicates that this was an important person,” said Deacon Jos Valke, who was there for the exhumation. “The skeleton was found where the altar used to be, and only royalty or other important figures were buried under an altar at that time.”

He also observed that the “bullet that killed him lay at chest level,” exactly as his death was described in the history books.

Nonetheless, Dijkman, who has been searching for the lost musketeer for 28 years, says that he remains “cautious” about declaring him found despite having “high expectations.”

He believes more will be revealed when the DNA tests are completed in a few weeks’ time.

“It has really become a top-level investigation,” he said. “We want to be absolutely certain that it is d’Artagnan.”