Miguel de Cervantes, one of Spain’s greatest writers, finally received an official burial this week some 400 years after his death.
During the ceremony, Spain dedicated a funeral monument carrying the recently discovered bone fragments
belonging to the “Don Quixote" author, the BBC reported.
Ana Botella, the mayor of Madrid, placed a laurel wreath beside the monument in a Madrid convent during the ceremony Thursday. The event also included military honors for Cervantes, sometimes called the "Shakespeare of Spain," who also served as a soldier for his country.
A nearly yearlong expedition at a convent unearthed Cervantes' bones earlier this year. The remains, thought to have been buried in 1616, were reportedly found next to his wife's, according to the BBC.
Building construction over the past centuries made it hard to find out exactly where his bones lay. Detectives initially thought Cervantes’ remains were among those of 15 other bodies found in the crypt of the Barefoot Trinitarians. However, officials were
unable to authenticate proof, according to The Associated Press.
They did have some clues to go off of, however.
Cervantes died at the age of 69 and wrote once that he only had about six teeth in his mouth. Also, in 1571, the author was injured in the Battle of Lepanto. On the ship La Marquesa, Cervantes was shot by three musket bullets, leaving two wounds in his chest and one in his hand.
Last January, archeologists claimed to have found fragments of a casket buried with the initials “M.C," and concluded they had found the famed author without hard evidence.
The memorial has now settled years of Cervantes legend for Spanish culture.
"Now we can say, 'Miguel, mission accomplished,'" Botella said.
Cervantes is so renowned in Spain that the anniversary of his death on April 23 is celebrated every year with a reading of “Don Quixote” by dozens of social and political heads, the AP noted.
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