After the devastating fire at Notre-Dame in 2019, authorities in Paris were intrigued when they discovered two lead-lined coffins 20 meters (66 feet) below the church floor.
One skeleton was quickly identified as a local clergyman born in the 17th century, but experts were stunned when they saw the second skeleton, who simply described him as an “unknown nobleman.”
Now they have revealed that the body is that of Joachim du Bellay, a famous French Renaissance poet and critic, born in Liré, western France in 1522.
Du Bellay, who was also known as ‘the Rider’ because of his love of horse riding, died in 1560 at the age of 37 from chronic meningitis caused by tuberculosis.
After his death, it was thought that his remains were buried in Notre-Dame, but that never happened – until now.
The coffin found beneath Notre-Dame Cathedral after the devastating fire of 2019 has been identified as belonging to 16th-century Frenchman Joachim du Bellay. Pictured is the lead sarcophagus of the previously ‘unknown’ individual, surrounded by heating ducts from the 19th century
Joachim du Bellay (c. 1522 – 1 January 1560) was a French poet, critic, and one of the founders of La Pléiade, a group of French Renaissance poets of the 16th century.
The new findings were announced by the University of Toulouse III and the French National Institute for Preventive Archaeological Research (INRAP).
Dr. Éric Crubézy, professor of anthropology at the University of Toulouse III, said he died of “chronic tuberculous meningitis in the 16th century.”
‘[This] “The ages of important people are rarely mentioned at cathedral funerals,” the professor added.
After the fire at Notre-Dame in April 2019, two lead-lined coffins were found under the paving stones where the nave and transept meet.
In a cruciform cathedral such as Notre Dame, the nave and transept are the two straight parts that are at right angles to each other.
The coffins were first uncovered in March 2022, but the graves were not opened until eight months later, in November.
Forensic experts have been able to link such physical evidence from his remains to the life and death of Joachim du Bellay as described in the literature
After the fire at Notre-Dame Cathedral in April 2019, two coffins were found under paving stones at a spot where the ‘nave’ and ‘transept’ meet
Although funerals in cathedrals occurred throughout the Middle Ages and modern period, a burial in a lead coffin was a special event – an act ‘reserved for the elite’ – and the men were once considered wealthy.
One of the coffins was identified as that of Antoine de la Porte, a cathedral cleric who died in 1710 at the age of 87, largely thanks to an identification plaque bearing his name on the coffin.
Antoine de la Porte was born in 1627 and provided financial support for the refurbishment of the choir enclosure of Notre Dame in fulfilment of the vow of Louis XIII.
Although there was no organic tissue left on the bones, the remains were still well preserved, including his hair and beard.
The other lead coffin found during the excavations, however, remained ‘anonymous for the time being’ because it had no nameplate on it.
This copper plate from the priest’s coffin reads: ‘THIS IS THE BODY OF MESSIRE ANTOINE OF THE CANON PORTE OF THE CHURCH [word erased] DIED 24 DECEMBER 1710 IN HIS 83RD YEAR. RESQUIETCAT IN PACE’
The lead sarcophagi were discovered during the reconstruction of the cathedral. They were buried more than 65 feet below the floor of the church.
Notre Dame Cathedral was built in the shape of a Latin cross. Construction began in 1163 and the cathedral was largely completed in 1345.
Examination of the bones revealed that he was between 25 and 40 years old when he died. He spent much of his youth riding horses, earning him the nickname ‘le Cavalier’ (the Horseman).
Several markings related to horse riding can be seen on his upper limbs.
Forensic experts have been able to link the physical evidence of his remains to the life and death of Joachim du Bellay as described in the literature.
Traces of bone tuberculosis and chronic meningitis were found on the skeleton, symptoms of which the poet showed in the last years of his life.
“He meets all the criteria of the portrait,” Dr. Crubézy said at a press conference last week, quoted by The Cross And Living science.
‘He is a gifted horseman and suffers from both ailments mentioned in some of his poems, such as ‘The Complaint of the Despairing’.
He describes ‘this storm that blurs the world’ [his] ‘Ghost’ and his family belonged to the royal court and to the Pope’s closest entourage.’
However, Christophe Besnier, an archaeologist at INRAP and leader of the excavations, indicated that doubts still exist.
“Certain elements do not support this hypothesis,” Besnier said.
Isotope analysis of the teeth indicates that the individual lived in the Paris or Rhône-Alpes region until the age of ten.
‘We do know that Joachim du Bellay grew up in Anjou.’
It is believed that without the fire in the cathedral five years ago, the sarcophagi would still be undiscovered.
Drone footage from the French Ministry of the Interior showed the destruction of the cathedral’s centuries-old wooden roof
On April 15, 2019, millions of people around the world watched in horror as firefighters battled through the night to save the cathedral as a fire ripped through the roof and toppled the spire.
On April 15, 2019, millions of people around the world watched in horror as firefighters battled through the night to save the cathedral as a fire ripped through the roof and the spire collapsed.
The 90-metre-high Gothic spire collapsed early in the fire, amid loud screams from locals stunned by the scene that unfolded.
The fierce fire broke out just before 7pm local time on a roof where renovation work was taking place. It is one of Europe’s most visited attractions.
“Notre-Dame has survived all the wars and all the bombings. We never thought it could burn. I feel incredibly sad and empty,” said Stephane Seigneurie, a consultant who joined other shocked onlookers in a solemn rendition of “Ave Maria” as they watched the fire from a nearby bridge.
Firefighters fought valiantly to extinguish the flames and French authorities said the sacred building would be completely destroyed within “15 to 30 minutes.”
In September 2021, the French government announced that the cathedral was finally stable and safe enough for reconstruction to begin.
After restoration work was largely funded by £700 million (€840 million) from donors, Notre Dame Cathedral is set to reopen on December 8 this year.