Birth and Family Life

Jose Rizal was born on June 19, 1861. It was a Wednesday evening in Calamba, Laguna, and his mother nearly died in the process. He was baptized
three days later, on June 22, by the parish priest of the Catholic church in his town, Fr. Rufino Collantes from Batangas. His godfather, Fr. Pedro
Casanas, was a close family friend. Rizal's mother named him after St. Joseph, to whom she was ardently devoted.

RIZAL'S BAPTISMAL CERTIFICATE

His baptismal certificate reads:

"I , the undersigned parish priest of Calamba, certify that from the investigation made with proper authority, for replacing the parish books which
were burned September 28, 1862, to be found in Docket No. 1 of Baptisms, p.49, it appears by the sworn testimony of competent witnesses that
J ose Rizal Mercado is the legitimate son, and of lawful wedlock, of Don Francisco Rizal Mercado and Dona Teodora Realonda, having been
baptized in this parish on the 22nd day of J une in the years 1861, by the parish priest Rev. Rufino Collantes, Rev. Pedro Casanas being his
godfather. -- Witness my signature."
(Signed): Leoncio Lopez

RIZAL'S FAMILY

Francisco Mercado Rizal was born on May 11, 1818 in Binan, Laguna. He was a graduate of the College of San Jose in Manila, studying Latin and
Philosophy. Francisco moved to Calamba to become a tenant-farmer of a hacienda owned by the Dominicans. He died at the age of 80 on January 5,
1898 in Manila. About his father, Jose Rizal says that he is "a model of fathers."
Teodora Alonso Realonda was born on November 8, 1926 in Manila. She was a graduate of the College of Santa Rosa. She died at the age of 85 on
August 16, 1911 in Manila. About his mother, Jose Rizal says, "My mother is a woman of more than ordinary culture; she knows literature and
speaks Spanish better than I. She corrected my poems and gave me good advice when I was studying rhetoric. She is a mathematician and has read
many books."

Rizal is the seventh of eleven children:
1. Saturnina
2. Paciano
3. Narcisa
4. Olimpia
5. Lucia
6. Maria
7. Jose
8. Concepcion
9. Josefa
10. Trinidad
11. Soledad
Rizal's family was a mixture of races. They were a combination of Negrito, Malay, Indonesian, Japanese, Chinese, and Spanish, though Jose was
predominantly Malayan.

THE SURNAME

Mercado was the original surname of the Rizal family. Domingo Lamco, Jose's great-great-grandfather, adopted the name Rizal in 1731 and it
became a second surname of the family. In Jose's letter to Ferdinand Blumentritt, he says:

"I am the only Rizal in because at home my parents, my sisters my brother, and my relatives have always preferred our old surname Mercado. Our
family name was in fact Mercado, but there were many Mercados in the Philippines who are not related to us. It is said that an alcalde mayor, who
was a friend of our family added Rizal to our name. My family did not pay much attention to this, but now I have to use it. In this way, it seems that I
am an illegitimate son."

-- But of course, we all know that he is not.
Trivia
Did you Know?
When in Europe, Rizal often had to go on without food. Sometimes his funds took too long to arrive and he would run out of money. He
often went out during mealtime and cursed his misfortunes, and then went back home with a straight face. He was too proud to let his
landlady know he didn't have any money for food, and when he got back everyone assumed he had already eaten.
Jose Rizal's sisters once suspected that Josephine Bracken, his love interest in Dapitan, was a spy from Spain.
There is some speculation that Rizal's mother could have been the illegitimate child of Lorenzo Alberto Alonso and Brigida Quintos.
In 1895, Jose had a run-in with a Chinese who owned a small store -- a disagreement that ended with a lawsuit. This angered Rizal so much
that he told his mother that he would never again buy anything from the Chinese. Interestingly enough, Rizal was also part Chinese.
At age 2, Jose could already read and write. He grew up to speak and write 22 different languages including Japanese, English, German,
Latin, Spanish, French, Chinese, English, etc.
During his exile in Dapitan, Jose Rizal won the lottery. He used half of the money he won to buy some land, and sent the rest of it to his
father.
Rizal's first poem, Sa Aking Mga Kababata," was written when he was 7 years old.
To compensate for his small stature, Rizal turned to weight lifting to enhance his physique. Barbells made from cement were found in his
home in Dapitan.
Rizal remained calm on the day he was executed. A Spanish surgeon took his pulse moments before he was sent to his death and found it
within normal range.
Several monuments erected in honor of Jose Rizal can be found all over the world in places such as Madrid, Spain; Wilhelmsfeld,
Germany; Jinjiang, Fujian, China; Chicago, Cherry Hill Township, San Diego, Seattle, U.S.A.; Mexico City, Mexico; Lima, Peru;
Litomerice, Czech Republic; and Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
There is a Dr. Jose Rizal Park in 1008 12th Avenue South, Seattle, Washington. It covers a generous land area of 9.6 acres (39,000 m).
Jose Rizal's Mi Ultimo Adios (My Last Farewell) is the most translated Filipino poem. Originally written in Spanish, the historical verse is
now rendered in 38 other languages.
In Madrid, Spain, there is a replica of Rizal's famous Luneta monument.
Education
Education in Binan
During the time of Rizal, education was characterized by the 4Rs: reading writing, arithmetic, and religion.
Rizal, although he was born a physical weakling, became an intellectual giant.
His first teacher was his mother.
At the age of 3, Rizal learned to recite the alphabet and prayers.
Jose had private tutors to teach him lessons at home: Maestro Celestino, then Maestro Lucas Padua.
Leon Monroy, who as a former classmate of Jose's father, taught the young boy Spanish and Latin.
When Leon Monroy died, Jose's parents decided to send him to a private school in Binan.
When Jose left for Binan, he was accompanied by his brother Paciano.
Jose lodged at his aunt's house in Binan.
Rizal's school in Binan was in the house of his teacher, Maestro Justiniano Aquino Cruz.
Pedro, the teacher's son, was not very fond of Jose. He bullied Rizal, and this led to Jose's first school brawl.
Jose also took painting lessons in Binan, and was taught by an old painter named Juancho, his schoolteacher's father-in-law.
He was the best student in school, beating all the Binan boys.
His schooling in Binan lasted for a year and a half.
Education in the Ateneo de Manila
Jose was sent to Manila four months after the friars Gomez, Burgos, and Zamora were martyred.
He studied in the Ateneo Municipal, which was under the supervision of the Spanish Jesuit priests.
The Ateneo Municipal was later named Ateneo de Manila.
Jose's father had intended him to study at Letran, but changed his mind and sent him to the Ateneo instead.
At first, the college registrar, Fr. Magin Ferrando, refused Jose's admission because the boy had registered late and he was sickly and small
for his age.
Rizal was nonetheless admitted to the Ateneo with the help and intercession of Manuel Xeres Burgos, a nephew of the martyred priest.
Jose adopted the name Rizal to escape suspicion. His brother Paciano had used the name Mercado, and was now known to the authorities
as Jose Burgos' favorite student.
The quality of education in the Ateneo was more advanced.
Students were divided into two groups: the "Roman Empire" (boarders) and the "Carthaginian Empire" (non-boarders).
The best student in each empire was the emperor, followed by the tribune, then the decurion, the centurion, and the fifth best was the
standard-bearer.
The Romans had red banners, and the Carthaginians had blue.
Jose's first professor at the Ateneo was Fr. Jose Bech.
To improve his Spanish, Jose took private lessons in Santa Isabel College at noon breaks.
Rizal's first favorite novel was The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexander Dumas.
He won a medal in Latin.
Jose considered Fr. Sanchez as his best professor in the Ateneo.
He obtained the highest grades in all subjects and graduated with the highest honors.
When Rizal was 16 years old he had his first romance with Segunda Katigbak. Unfortunately, the lady was already engaged to be
married. Rizal, as a shy and timid lover, failed to propose despite her encouragement.
Medical Studies at the University of Santo Tomas
After finishing one year in Philosophy and Letters, Jose transferred to the medical course.
He enrolled in UST for two reasons: (1) to appease his father, and (2) because he was still unsure of what career he should pursue.
Rizal took up medicine following the advice of Fr. Pablo Ramon, the Rector of the Ateneo. He also did so to be able to cure his mother's
growing blindness.
He finished a surveying course in the Ateneo, but was not given the title of Surveyor because he was still 17 and underage.
After finishing four years in the medical course, Rizal decided to study in Spain. He did not seek his parents' permission for this, because
he knew they would not allow it.
Childhood in Calamba
Rizal's childhood was the happiest period of his life.
Calamba, the hero's hometown, belonged to the Dominican Order.
A few kilometers south of Calamba lies mount Makiling.
East of the town is Laguna de Bay.
Rizal was a student in the Ateneo de Manila in 1876 when he was 15 years old.
When he was fifteen, he wrote the poem entitled In Memory of My Town (Un Recuerdo A Mi Pueblo)
Rizal was sickly, underweight, undersized, and frail as a child.
He had his own nipa cottage where he played in the day, built by his father.
He had an aya (nurse maid) who has a kind old woman and who took care of him and his health.
He began birdwatching at the age of 3, observing the culiauan, the maya, the maria capra, the martin, and the pipit.
He recited the Angelus prayer daily.
Of all his sisters, Jose loved little Concepcion best. She was only a year younger than him, and fell ill and died at the age of 3.
The death of his sister was Jose's first grief.
Jose and his father went on a pilgrimage to Antipolo on June 6, 1868 so that they could fulfill his mother's vow, which she made when Jose
was born. Teodora could not join them on this pilgrimage because she had given birth to Jose's sister Trinidad.
After the pilgrimage, Jose went with his father to Manila where they visited his sister Saturnina, who was then a boarding student at La
Concordia College in Santa Ana.
On "The Story of the Moth," Rizal thought that the creature's death was justified because he believed that to sacrifice one's life for one's
ideals is worthwhile.
He began sketching at the age of five.
He had a black dog named Usman.
At the age of eight, Jose wrote his first poem entitled Sa Aking Mga Kababata (To My Fellow Children).
When he was also eight years old, Rizal write his first dramatic work, which was a Tagalog comedy. It was staged in a festival in Calamba,
and was later sold to a gobernadorcillo from Paete for two pesos.
Jose was skilled in operating marionettes.
He used to meditate by Laguna de Bay with his pet dog, Usman.
In Calamba, Laguna


19 June 1861
JOSE RIZAL, the seventh child of Francisco Mercado Rizal and Teodora Alonso y Quintos, was born in Calamba, Laguna.

22 June 1861
He was baptized JOSE RIZAL MERCADO at the Catholic of Calamba by the parish priest Rev. Rufino Collantes with Rev. Pedro Casaas as the
sponsor.

28 September 1862
The parochial church of Calamba and the canonical books, including the book in which Rizals baptismal records were entered, were burned.

1864
Barely three years old, Rizal learned the alphabet from his mother.

1865
When he was four years old, his sister Conception, the eight child in the Rizal family, died at the age of three. It was on this occasion that Rizal
remembered having shed real tears for the first time.

1865 1867
During this time his mother taught him how to read and write. His father hired a classmate by the name of Leon Monroy who, for five months until
his (Monroy) death, taught Rizal the rudiments of Latin.

At about this time two of his mothers cousin frequented Calamba. Uncle Manuel Alberto, seeing Rizal frail in body, concerned himself with the
physical development of his young nephew and taught the latter love for the open air and developed in him a great admiration for the beauty of
nature, while Uncle Gregorio, a scholar, instilled into the mind of the boy love for education. He advised Rizal: "Work hard and perform every task
very carefully; learn to be swift as well as thorough; be independent in thinking and make visual pictures of everything."

6 June 1868
With his father, Rizal made a pilgrimage to Antipolo to fulfill the vow made by his mother to take the child to the Shrine of the Virgin of Antipolo
should she and her child survive the ordeal of delivery which nearly caused his mothers life.

From there they proceeded to Manila and visited his sister Saturnina who was at the time studying in the La Concordia College in Sta. Ana.

1869
At the age of eight, Rizal wrote his first poem entitled "Sa Aking Mga Kabata." The poem was written in tagalog and had for its theme "Love of
Ones Language."


The Mercado - Rizal Family
The Rizals is considered one of the biggest families during their time. Domingo Lam-co, the family's paternal ascendant was a full-blooded Chinese
who came to the Philippines from Amoy, China in the closing years of the 17th century and married a Chinese half-breed by the name of Ines de la
Rosa.

Researchers revealed that the Mercado-Rizal family had also traces of Japanese, Spanish, Malay and Even Negrito blood aside from Chinese.

Jose Rizal came from a 13-member family consisting of his parents, Francisco Mercado II and Teodora Alonso Realonda, and nine sisters and one
brother.
FRANCISCO MERCADO (1818-1898)
Father of Jose Rizal who was the youngest of 13 offsprings of Juan and Cirila Mercado. Born in Bian, Laguna on April 18, 1818; studied in San
Jose College, Manila; and died in Manila.
TEODORA ALONSO (1827-1913)
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 Bian, 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.

Jose Rizal: A Biographical Sketch
BY TEOFILO H. MONTEMAYOR JOSE RIZAL, the national hero of the Philippines and pride of the Malayan race, was 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). Both his parents were educated and belonged
to distinguished families.
His father, Francisco Mercado Rizal, an industrious farmer whom Rizal called "a model of fathers," came from Bian, Laguna; while his mother,
Teodora Alonzo y Quintos, a highly cultured and accomplished woman whom Rizal called "loving and prudent mother," was born in Meisic, Sta.
Cruz, Manila. At the age of 3, he learned the alphabet from his mother; at 5, while learning to read and write, he already showed inclinations to be an
artist. He astounded his family and relatives by his pencil drawings and sketches and by his moldings of clay. At the age 8, he wrote a Tagalog poem,
"Sa Aking Mga Kabata," the theme of which revolves on the love of ones 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 Surveyors 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. These include Arabic, Catalan, Chinese, English, French,
German, Greek, Hebrew, Italian, Japanese, Latin, Malayan, Portuguese, Russian, Sanskrit, Spanish, Tagalog, and other native dialects. A versatile
genius, he was an architect, artists, businessman, cartoonist, educator, economist, ethnologist, scientific farmer, historian, inventor, journalist,
linguist, musician, mythologist, nationalist, naturalist, novelist, opthalmic surgeon, poet, propagandist, psychologist, scientist, sculptor, sociologist,
and theologian.
He was an expert swordsman and a good shot. In the hope of securing political and social reforms for his country and at the same time educate his
countrymen, Rizal, the greatest apostle of Filipino nationalism, published, while in Europe, several works with highly nationalistic and revolutionary
tendencies. In March 1887, his daring book, NOLI ME TANGERE, a satirical novel exposing the arrogance and despotism of the Spanish clergy,
was published in Berlin; in 1890 he reprinted in Paris, Morgas SUCCESSOS DE LAS ISLAS FILIPINAS with his annotations to prove that the
Filipinos had a civilization worthy to be proud of even long before the Spaniards set foot on Philippine soil; on September 18, 1891, EL
FILIBUSTERISMO, his second novel and a sequel to the NOLI and more revolutionary and tragic than the latter, was printed in Ghent. Because of
his fearless exposures of the injustices committed by the civil and clerical officials, Rizal provoked the animosity of those in power. This led himself,
his relatives and countrymen into trouble with the Spanish officials of the country. As a consequence, he and those who had contacts with him, were
shadowed; the authorities were not only finding faults but even fabricating charges to pin him down. Thus, he was imprisoned in Fort Santiago from
July 6, 1892 to July 15, 1892 on a charge that anti-friar pamphlets were found in the luggage of his sister Lucia who arrive with him from Hong
Kong. While a political exile in Dapitan, he engaged in agriculture, fishing and business; he maintained and operated a hospital; he conducted
classes- taught his pupils the English and Spanish languages, the arts.
The sciences, vocational courses including agriculture, surveying, sculpturing, and painting, as well as the art of self defense; he did some researches
and collected specimens; he entered into correspondence with renowned men of letters and sciences abroad; and with the help of his pupils, he
constructed water dam and a relief map of Mindanao - both considered remarkable engineering feats. His sincerity and friendliness won for him the
trust and confidence of even those assigned to guard him; his good manners and warm personality were found irresistible by women of all races with
whom he had personal contacts; his intelligence and humility gained for him the respect and admiration of prominent men of other nations; while his
undaunted courage and determination to uplift the welfare of his people were feared by his enemies.
When the Philippine Revolution started on August 26, 1896, his enemies lost no time in pressing him down. They were able to enlist witnesses that
linked him with the revolt and these were never allowed to be confronted by him. Thus, from November 3, 1986, to the date of his execution, he was
again committed to Fort Santiago. In his prison cell, he wrote an untitled poem, now known as "Ultimo Adios" which is considered a masterpiece and
a living document expressing not only the heros great love of country but also that of all Filipinos. After a mock trial, he was convicted of rebellion,
sedition and of forming illegal association. In the cold morning of December 30, 1896, Rizal, a man whose 35 years of life had been packed with
varied activities which proved that the Filipino has capacity to equal if not excel even those who treat him as a slave, was shot at Bagumbayan Field.
Rizal's Family: Genealogy and Bloodline
Shown below are the genealogies of the Rizal children (pictures taken at Fort Santiago, Intramuros):
Saturnina "Neneng" was the oldest of the Rizal children. Her husband, Manuel T. Hidalgo, hailed from Tanawan, Batangas.
Paciano was Jose Rizal's confidant. Though he died a bachelor, Paciano had two children by Severina Decena, his mistress.
Narcisa "Sisa" was a schoolteacher. She married Antonio Lopez, the nephew of Fr. Leoncio Lopez.
Olympia "Ypia," the fourth of the Rizal children, married Silvestre Ubaldo, a telegraph operator who hailed from Manila.
Lucia married Mariano Herbosa, who was the nephew of Fr. Casanas, Jose Rizal's godfather. When her husband died of cholera he wasn't
given the honor of a Christian burial because he was Rizal's brother-in-law.
Maria "Biang" married a man from Laguna, Daniel Faustino Cruz.
Jose "Pepe" Rizal had an only son in Dapitan with Josephine Bracken. The boy, named Francisco after Jose's father, lived only a few
hours.
Concepcion "Concha," Jose's younger sister, died at the age of 3 when she fell severely ill. Her death was Rizal's first sorrow in life.
Josefa "Panggoy" and Trinidad "Trining" both died old maids.
Soledad "Choleng" was the youngest of the Rizal children. Her husband, Pantaleon Quintero, hailed from Calamba.