RIZAL’S BIOGRAPHY

 Born on June 19, 1861, in the town of Calamba, Laguna. He was the seventh child in a
family of 11 children (2 boys and 9 girls)
 FRANCISCO MERCADO (1818-1898) – FATHER
offsprings of Juan and Cirila Mercado. Born in Biñan, Laguna on April 18, 1818; studied
in San Jose College, Manila; and died in Manila
 TEODORA ALONSO (1827-1913) – MOTHER
Mother of Jose Rizal who was the second child of Lorenzo Alonso and Brijida de
Quintos. She studied at the Colegio de Santa Rosa. She was a business-minded woman,
courteous, religious, hard-working and well-read. She was born in Santa Cruz, Manila
on November 14, 1827 and died in 1913 in Manila.
 SATURNINA RIZAL (1850-1913) - Eldest child of the Rizal-Alonzo marriage. Married
Manuel Timoteo Hidalgo of Tanauan, Batangas
 PACIANO RIZAL (1851-1930) - Only brother of Jose Rizal and the second child.
Studied at San Jose College in Manila; became a farmer and later a general of the
Philippine Revolution.
 NARCISA RIZAL (1852-1939)- The third child. married Antonio Lopez at Morong,
Rizal; a teacher and musician
 OLYMPIA RIZAL (1855-1887) - The fourth child. Married Silvestre Ubaldo; died in
1887 from childbirth.
 LUCIA RIZAL (1857-1919) - The fifth child. Married Matriano Herbosa.
 MARIA RIZAL (1859-1945) - The sixth child. Married Daniel Faustino Cruz of Biñan,
Laguna.
 JOSE RIZAL (1861-1896)- The second son and the seventh child. He was executed by
the Spaniards on December 30,1896.
 CONCEPCION RIZAL (1862-1865) - The eight child. Died at the age of three.
 JOSEFA RIZAL (1865-1945) - The ninth child. An epileptic, died a spinster.
 TRINIDAD RIZAL (1868-1951) - The tenth child. Died a spinster and the last of the
family to die.
 SOLEDAD RIZAL (1870-1929) - The youngest child married Pantaleon Quintero.

FACTS ON RIZAL’S LIFE

 Name: Jose Protacio Rizal Mercado y Alonso Reolanda

 Baptized by : Rev. Rufino Collantes On : June 22, 1861
 Godfather of Rizal: Pedro Casañas
 Named after: St. Joseph
 Pen names: Dimasalang and Laong Laan
  POLYGLOT AND POLYMATH
 Death: Dec. 30 1896
 Pet: Usman(black dog) and Alipato (pony)
 INSPIRED TO WRITE NOLI ME TANGERE: UNCLE TOM’S CABIN (HARRIET
STOWE
 INSPIRED RIZAL’S REVOLUTION AGAINST SPANISH-DEATH OF GOMBURZA
 DETAINED: FORT SANTIAGO INTRAMUROS
 LAST WORDS: CONSUMMATUM EST (IT IS FINISHED)

3y/o

-Learned Alphabet

-introduced to tales of fantasy, legends, and folklore.

-Jose was called Ute by his sister and brother.

- others by Pepe or Pepito:

Devoted son of the church:

- able to recite the Catholic prayers

First sorrow:

-Jose loved his sister Concepcion who died of sickness, where he first shed true tears.

Age 5yo:

-able to read and write

- able to read the Spanish family bible.

- wrote poems on religion:

- Al Niño Jesus (1876)

- la alianza intima entre la religion y la Buena educacion(1876)

-a la virgin maria

 Rizals have 3 uncles:

1) Gregorio Alonso

- thought Ute to work hard , think for himself and observe life keenly.
2)Manuel Alonso (the strong)

- encouraged the skinny Ute to learn swimming fencing and wrestling etc.

3) Jose Alberto Alonso (the youngest)

-encouraged Ute to paint, sketch, and sculpt.

 Early Schooling

1) Mother

-alphabet

-catholic prayers

2) Private tutors

- maestro Claestino

-maestro Lucas Padua

- Leon Monroy

3) June 1870

- Justinio Aquino Cruz

- tall thin long necked man sharp pointed nose and a body bent slightly forward.

At the age 8, he wrote a Tagalog poem, "Sa Aking Mga Kabata," the theme of which
revolves on the love of one’s language.
In 1877, at the age of 16, he obtained his Bachelor of Arts degree with an average
of "excellent" from the Ateneo Municipal de Manila. In the same year, he enrolled in
Philosophy and Letters at the University of Santo Tomas, while at the same time took
courses leading to the degree of surveyor and expert assessor at the Ateneo.
He finished the latter course on March 21, 1877 and passed the Surveyor’s examination
on May 21, 1878; but because of his age, 17, he was not granted license to practice the
profession until December 30, 1881.
In 1878, he enrolled in medicine at the University of Santo Tomas but had to stop in his
studies when he felt that the Filipino students were being discriminated upon by their
Dominican tutors.
On May 3, 1882, he sailed for Spain where he continued his studies at the Universidad
Central de Madrid.
 On June 21, 1884, at the age of 23, he was conferred the degree of Licentiate in Medicine
and on June 19,1885, at the age of 24, he finished his course in Philosophy and Letters
with a grade of "excellent."
Having traveled extensively in Europe, America and Asia, he mastered 22 languages.
Rizal’s Works

1. To My Fellow Children ( SA AKING MGA KABATA)

He wrote this poem as an appeal to his countrymen to love their national

language. Rizal said “ Ang hindi magmahal sa sariling wika ay higit pa sa hayop

at malansang isda, kaya marapat pagyamaning kusa na tulad sa isang tunay

na nagpala”

2. To The Filipino Youth ( A LA JUVENTUD FILIPINA)

It is a literary masterpiece that expresses Rizal’s immortal message of love of

country, energy, and faith particularly in the youth (Kabataan ang pag-asa ng Bayan)

3. Letter to the Young Women of Malolos

Famous literary work where Rizal voiced out the conviction that women should

think for themselves, should be educated, and should be more active in public office.

4. My Last Farewell (MI ULTIMO ADIOS)

This masterpiece was written by Rizal in Fort Santiago probably a day or two

before his execution on December 30, 1896 in Bagumbayan. This poem is full of

love of the author for his country when he uttered this “It is sweet to die for you so

that you may live. It is sweet to die and sleep under your sky.”

5. Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo

Noli is a romantic novel, a work of the heart, a book of feeling; it has freshness,

color, humor, lightness and wit. El Fili is a political novel; a work of the head, a book

of thoughts, containing bitterness, hatred, violence and sorrow.

6. "Mi Primera Inspiracion" (My First Inspiration) is a poem written by Dr. Jose Rizal in 1874. It
was Rizal's first poem, and he dedicated it to his mother on her birthday. The poem is believed to
have been written after his mother, Doña Teodora Alonso, was released from prison.

7. La Indolencia de los Filipinos is an essay written by José Rizal to refute the long-standing
notion that the natives of the Philippines were "indolent". The essay was published in La
Solidaridad and its purpose was to classify the Filipinos as hardworking citizens to the
Spaniards.

Education

1. Early Education in Calamba and Binan

His first teacher was his mother where he learned the alphabet and the prayer at

the age of 3. Rizal has attended private school under Maestro Justiniano Aquino

Cruz.

2. Ateneo de Manila University (1872-1877)

Trained by Jesuits in the character of rigid discipline and religious instruction.

3. University of Sto. Tomas (1877-1882)

Course and Experiences

4. Studies and Travels Abroad

Went to Spain after in UST. Primary reason in going abroad was to observe

keenly the life of other European nations in order to prepare himself in mighty task of

liberating his oppressed.