Revista de investigación forense

Discussion Surrounding the Identification of Henry IV's Alleged Skull

Abstract

Riaud Xavier, Delorme Philippe and Lorin de la Grandmaison Geoffroy

On Sunday March 13th 2011, at half past eight in the evening, the French public national television channel France 5 broadcast a documentary relating the investigation which had led to the “formal” identification of Henry IV’s skull. It had been conducted by a team of scientists led by Doctor Philippe Charlier, a forensic medical examiner-a well-known anthropologist. Throughout the programme, many factors were introduced and proved the identification. And yet, taking a scientific step back and looking at things from a distance with historical knowledge, these factors seem to be questionable. Here is a new perspective which showed the seeds of doubt on the showcasing of absolute certainty.