Archaeologists in the Dutch city of Maastricht may have found the remains of legendary French musketeer d’Artagnan beneath a church.

The skeleton was found under the former altar of St Peter and Paul Church and is thought to be that of Charles de Batz de Castelmore, a close aide to King Louis XIV, killed in the 1673 Siege of Maastricht.

Jos Valke, deacon at St Peter and Paul Church, told the BBC: “We became quite silent when we found the first bone… He was buried on sacred ground below where the altar was; we found the bullet that put an end to his life, and we found a coin from 1660 in his grave, and it was from the bishop who attended Mass for the Roi Soleil.”

D’Artagnan was killed during the Siege of Maastricht in 1673 and later immortalised in Alexandre Dumas’ The Three Musketeers stories. His burial in the church had long been rumoured, but no evidence had been found until now.

Archaeologist Wim Dijkman, who excavated the site, said: “I’m a scientist, but my expectations are high,” while DNA tests and age assessments are now underway in Germany and Deventer to confirm the skeleton’s identity.

D’Artagnan is believed to have been killed by a musket ball to the throat, with French troops burying him locally during the summer siege near the church in Maastricht.