Are These the Bones of the Fourth Musketeer? This Dutch Village Hopes So.
The New York Times • • general
Key Points:
- Local volunteers in the Dutch village of Wolder discovered a skeleton beneath the floor of St. Peter and Paul’s Church, long rumored to be the burial site of the fourth musketeer, Count d’Artagnan.
- Count d’Artagnan, a historical figure and the main character in Alexandre Dumas’s "The Three Musketeers," served as captain of the Musketeers of the Guard under King Louis XIV.
- A nonprofit group led by church deacon Jos Valke used metal detectors and careful excavation to find the skeleton after locating the church’s old foundation.
- The discovery of the skull was made in February, and by March, the group announced the skeleton might belong to d’Artagnan, pending further testing to confirm the identity.