José Rizal Life Timeline
1877
José Rizal's Early Life
1848
José Rizal’s mom, Teodora Morales Alonso-Realonda
y Quintos, and dad, Francisco Rizal-Mercado y
Alejandra, marry on June 28th.
1861
On June 19th José Rizal is born to become the
seventh child born to his parents. Three days later
Rizal was christened with the name Jose Protasio
Rizal-Mercado y Alonso-Realonda.
1870
José begins school under the instruction of
Justiniano Aquin Cruz at just nine years of age.
1871
José continues his education under the instruction of
Lucas Padua.
1872
Rizal is examined by those in charge of college
entrance to St. Tomas University in Manila; he enters
the school system as a scholar.
1875
Rizal enters the Ateneo as a boarder at just 14 years
of age.
1876
At the age of 15, Rizal receives a Bachelor of Arts
Degree from the Ateneo de Manila. He not only
receives this degree, but receives it with the highest
honors possible.
1877
In June José begins to go to school at St. Tomas
University in Manila where he studies philosophy.
Writing Career
In November Rizal writes a poem and receives
recognition for his writing from the Royal Economic
Society of Friends of the Country, also known as
Amigos del Pals. The recognition comes in the form
of a diploma of merit and honorable mention.
1878
In June Rizal decides to switch gears in his
educational pursuits and transfers into the medical
courses at St. Tomas University. During this time he
also writes an additional two poems that win him
further recognition.
1880
At the age of 19 Rizal writes another poem for a
competition where he should have won first prize.
However, he was not given this prize due to
discrimination.
In December Rizal produces his first Operetta called
On the Banks of the Pasig.
1881
Rizal creates the commemorative medal in wax for
the Royal Economic Society of Friends centennial
celebration.
Emigrating
1882
In May Rizal gets money from his brother and travels
secretly from Manila to Spain aboard a French ship
and railroad entering Spain at the Port Bou.
In June St. Tomas University realizes Rizal is nowhere
to be found and threatens to take land away from his
father who is a tenant even though his father has no
idea of his whereabouts.
June 15 Rizal makes his arrival in Barcelona and
begins to study again in Madrid in October of that
same year.
1886
Rizal receives a degree in medicine from the Central
University of Madrid at the age of 23. He then
becomes an assistant to Dr. L. de Wecker and visits
many universities in Berlin, Leipzig, and Heidelberg.
Fame... Then Death and Legacy

1887 On December 30th the ashes of Rizal were

Rizal finishes his first novel titled Noli Me
Tangere while staying in Berlin. The novel offends
Catholic officials and Rizal is deemed to be a
troublemaker
He then travels to Austria, Switzerland, and Italy.
On July 3 Rizal leaves from Mersailles in Italy and
arrives in Manila on August 5th. He travels to nearby
areas escorted by a Spanish Lieutenant.
transferred to the Rizal Mausoleum and December
30th is declared a national holiday in honor of his
memory.
José Rizal's life and works were critical to those from
the Philippines who were looking for an end to
Spanish colonization.

1888
In February Rizal leaves Spain and sets sail for Hong
Kong in Japan. He continued to travel practice
medicine and write.

1892
In August Rizal was detained aboard a ship traveling
back to Spain. Rizal was charged with treason,
sedition, and the formation of illegal societies. He
was sent to an island and held.
He taught for four years while being held.
He met a girl named Josephine Bracken who he
wanted to marry but the church refused to give him
a license to marry.
He penned his last piece of writing called My Last
Farewell and wrote an address to Filipino insurgents
to lay down their arms against the Spanish. The
address was never made public, but was added to
the list of charges against him.

1896
His request to go to Cuba was approved. On the way
to Cuba he was arrested and charged with conspiracy
and sedition.
On December 27 he was condemned to death in a
Spanish court
On December 30th he was permitted to marry
Josephine two hours before he was shot by a firing
squad.
He was buried in a secret grave.

1912