RIZAL’S ROMANCES

There were plenty of things to distract a young man in the

peak of his youth. During this period, he found out that he
was made not for medicine, but for the arts.

Rizal also became fascinated with women during this time,

as any young man would. There are nine (9) recorded
women in Rizal's life, however some historians suggest that
there have been more.
SEGUNDA
KATIGBAK
Segunda Katigbak
Jose Rizal was only a young boy of sixteen (16) when he first fell
in love, and it was with Segunda Katigbak, a girl from Lipa,
Batangas and two years his junior. According to Rizal, "She was
rather short, with eyes that were eloquent and ardent at times
and languid at others, rosy-cheeked, with an enchanting and
provocative smile that revealed very beautiful teeth, and the air of
a sylph; her entire self diffused a mysterious charm."
Segunda Katigbak
Rizal went to Trozo, Manila one day to visit his grandmother. His
friend, Mariano Katigbak, accompanied him. Mariano's family
were close with Rizal's grandmother, and upon arrival at Lipa,
Mariano's sister Segunda was there at the old woman's house
along with other guests. Rizal was drawn to hear instantly.

Some of the other guests knew that Rizal was a skilled painter
and asked him to draw a portrait of Segunda. He obliged, and
reluctantly worked on a pencil sketch of the girl. "From time to
time, she looked at me, and I blushed."
Segunda Katigbak
Rizal's sister Olympia was a close friend of Segunda and a student at La Concordia
College, and Rizal went to visit her every week, during which he came to know
Segunda more intimately. Their affection for each other grew deeper with every
meeting, one that began with "love at first sight."
Unfortunately, Segunda was already engaged to be married to her townmate,
Manuel Luz, and although Rizal had gotten hints of the lady's affection for him, he
timidly decided to back away and did not propose. Years later Segunda returned to
Lipa and wed her betrothed, leaving a frustrated Rizal to the mercy of his nostalgic
memories. Rizal said while recording his first romance three years later, "Ended, at
an early hour, my first love! My virgin heart will always mourn the reckless step it
took on the flower-decked abyss. My illusions will return, yes, but indifferent,
uncertain, ready for the first betrayal on the path of love."
 LEONOR
VALENZUELA
Leonor Valenzuela
Rizal was always welcome at the Valenzuela home. He
eventually courted Leonor by sending her love notes, which he
wrote in invisible ink made from a mixture of water and table salt.
He taught Leonor how to read his letters by heating them over a
lamp or a candle to allow the words to surface.

Unfortunately, as with his first love, Jose failed to ask for the
lady's hand in marriage.
 LEONOR
BAUSON
RIVERA
April 11, 1867 - August 28, 1893
Leonor Rivera
Leonor Rivera was a young lady from Camiling, and a cousin of
Jose Rizal. Leonor's father had provided room and board in Casa
Tomasina, Intramuros for Rizal when the youth was still starting his
third year at the university. The young girl was then a student at
La Concordia College where Soledad, Rizal's little sister was also
studying. She is Rizal’s childhood sweetheart.
Leonor was "tender as a budding flower with kindly, wistful eyes."
She and Rizal eventually became engaged. In her letters, she
signed her name as "Taimis" in order to hide their intimate
relationship from the girl's parents.
Leonor Rivera
In the autumn of 1890, however, Rizal received a letter from
Leonor telling him of her coming marriage to a man whom her
mother chose to be her mate -- an Englishman named Henry
Charles Kipping -- and begged for his forgiveness. This broke
Rizal's heart deeply.
Rivera died on 28 August 1893 shortly after giving birth to her
second child with Kipping. Shortly before she died, her last wish
was to have the silver box containing the ashes of Rizal's burned
letters be buried with her.
CONSUELO
ORTIGA Y
PEREZ
Consuelo Ortiga Y Perez
In 1882, when Rizal was a student at the Universidad Central de
Madrid, he frequented the home of Don Pablo Ortiga y Rey, the
former city mayor of Manila. He lived with his son Rafael and his
daughter Consuelo.
Rizal, though he wasn't a handsome man, possessed a great
deal of charisma and was gifted with many talents and a deeply
noble character. For this reason, it is of no surprise that Consuelo,
the prettier of Don Pablo's daughters, was very taken with him.
Consuelo Ortiga Y Perez
Being lonely and somewhat isolated in a foreign country, Rizal
found comfort in Consuelo's vivacious company. He wrote her a
poem entitled A La Senorita C.O. y P. (To Miss C.O.y P.), in which
he expressed his great admiration for the lady.
Rizal's romance with Consuelo did not turn into a serious affair;
he decided to take a step back for two reasons: first, he was still
engaged to Leonor Rivera at that time; and second, he was
aware of his friend's (Eduardo de Lete) affection for the girl and
he did not want to ruin their friendship over her
SEIKO USUI
“O-SEI-SAN”
O-Sei-San
When Rizal was in Tokyo a few days after he had moved to the
Azabu district in 1888, he spotted a pretty Japanese girl walking
past the legion gate. He was captured by the lady's regal air and
charisma and endeavored to find ways to meet her. The girl's
name was Seiko Usui. She lived with her parents and often took
afternoon walks by the legation. Rizal waited by the gate one
afternoon and introduced himself.
O-Sei-San
Rizal and O-Sei-San, as he fondly called her, met almost daily.
They toured the beautiful city spots, enjoyed the scenery, and
visited the picturesque shrines. Rizal was then a lonely young
physician, disillusioned by his frustrated romance with Leonor
Rivera and burdened by soured hopes for justice in his country.
O-Sei-San provided the beautiful escape that he deeply needed,
and he saw in her the qualities of his ideal woman. He was her
first love.
O-Sei-San
Because of his deep affection for her, Rizal was almost tempted
to settle down in Japan. Conveniently enough, he was also
offered a good position at the Spanish Legation during that time.
Rizal, however, had set his sights on other matters. He decided
to leave Japan and forget his romance, which pained him gravely
as attested by an entry in his diary. His 45-day sojourn in Japan
was one of the happiest interludes in his life.
GERTRUDE
BECKETT
Gertrude Beckett
In May 1888 Rizal visited London for a short time, boarding the
house of the Beckett family: Mr. & Mrs. Beckett, their two sons,
and their four daughters. The eldest daughter was named
Gertrude.
Gertrude was a buxom young lady with blue eyes and brown
hair. She fell in love with Rizal and gave him all of her attention
during the family picnics and gatherings. When Rizal stayed
indoors during rainy days painting and sculpting, she helped him
mix his colors and prepare his clay.
Gertrude Beckett
Rizal withdrew before his relationship with Gettie could become
more serious, realizing that he had a greater mission to fulfill and
that in order to accomplish it he could not yield to the option of
marrying her. He suppressed the yearnings of his heart and
decided to leave so that the lady may forget him. Before he did,
however, he finished a number of sculptural works, one of which
was a carving of the heads of the Beckett sisters.
SUZANNE
JACOBY
Suzanne Jacoby
On January 28, 1890, Rizal left for Brussels, Belgium. He stayed
for a considerable time, paying for room and board. His
landladies had a pretty niece named Petite Suzanne Jacoby. She
was taken by Rizal's charm and gallantry, and provided him good
company. Rizal could have flirted with the lady, considering that
his beloved Leonor was far away and he was a lonely man in a
strange and foreign land, but he realized he could not deceive
her.
Suzanne Jacoby
Suzanne fell in love with Rizal, and wept when he left for Madrid in July 1890. She wrote to him in French:

"Where are you now? Do you think of me once in a while? I am reminded of our tender conversations, reading your
letter, although it is cold and indifferent. Here in your letter I have something which makes up for your
absence. How pleased I would be to follow you, to travel with you who are always in my thoughts.

You wish me all kinds of luck, but forget that in the absence of a beloved one a tender heart cannot feel happy.

A thousand things serve to distract your mind, my friend; but in my case, I am sad, lonely, always alone with my
thoughts -- nothing, absolutely nothing relieves my sorrow. Are you coming back? That's what I want and desire
most ardently -- you cannot refuse me.

I do not despair and I limit myself to murmuring against time which runs so fast when it carries us toward a
separation, but goes so slowly when it's bringing us together again.

I feel very unhappy thinking that perhaps I might never see you again.

Goodbye! You know with one word you can make me very happy. Aren't you going to write to me?"
 NELLIE
BOUSTEAD
Nellie Boustead
In 1891, Rizal took a vacation in Biarritz in order to find reprieve
from his troubles in Madrid. He was a guest of the Boustead
family in their winter residence, Villa Eliada. Mr. and Mrs. Boustea
d had two beautiful daughters, Adelina and Nellie.

After having lamented his frustrated romance with Leonor Rivera

on account of the lady's engagement to another man, Rizal came
to develop considerable affection for Nellie, the prettier and
younger daughter of Mr. Eduardo Boustead. He found her to be
intelligent, morally upright, and full of life. Rizal wrote to his closest
friends about his intention to marry her.
Nellie Boustead
Rizal's friends were delighted to hear that he had found a suitable girl
whom he at last wished to settle down with. Even Antonio Luna, who
had previously loved Nellie, encouraged Rizal to court her and ask for her
hand in marriage. With all the encouragement from the friends he held
dear, Rizal wooed Nellie (also called Nelly) who, in turn, returned his
affections.
Rizal's marriage proposal failed for two reasons: first, Nellie demanded
that he give up his Catholic faith and convert to Protestantism, which was
her religion. Rizal did not like this idea. Second, Nelly's mother did not
approve of Rizal, as she had no desire to entrust her daughter to a man
who was wanting in wealth and persecuted in his own country. In spite
of the circumstances, Rizal and Nellie parted as good friends
 JOSEPHINE
BRACKEN
Marie Josephine Leopoldine Bracken

October 3, 1876 – March 15, 1902

Josephine Bracken
Rizal's exile in Dapitan was one of the most lonesome and sorrowful
periods of his life. He missed the company of his friends and family, and
the death of Leonor Rivera on August 28, 1893 left a gaping void in his
heart.

Josephine Bracken arrived at the shores of Dapitan accompanying her

blind adoptive father, Mr. George Taufer. No ophthalmologist in Hong
Kong, their home country, could cure the man's blindness and so they
sought the services of the famous Dr. Jose Rizal.
Josephine Bracken
Rizal and Josephine fell in love at first sight. Their romantic interlude went
on for about a month, after which they decided to marry. The priest of
Dapitan, however, refused to conduct the ceremony without consent from
the Bishop of Cebu.

When Mr. Taufer heard of his daughter's plan to marry he became so

enraged at the thought of losing Josephine that he attempted to kill
himself with a razor to his throat. Rizal prevented this tragedy by holding
the man's wrists back. Josephine left with her father on the first available
steamer to Manila in order to avoid more trouble. Since Mr. Taufer's
blindness was venereal in nature, it was incurable.
Josephine Bracken
Mr. Taufer went back to Hong Kong alone, and Josephine stayed in
Manila with Rizal's family. At length, she returned to Dapitan. Since no
priest would marry them, Rizal and Josephine held hands, exchanged
vows, and married themselves before God.

Rizal and Josephine lived together in Dapitan as husband and wife, and
in early 1896 they were expecting a baby. Unfortunately, Josephine had
to go into premature labor after Rizal played a prank and frightened her.
A little boy of eight months was born, who lived for only three hours.
Rizal named him Francisco Rizal Y Bracken in honor of his father, and
buried the child in Dapitan.