Rizal, the Romantic

There were at least nine women linked with Rizal; namely Segunda Katigbak, Leonor Valenzuela, Leonor Rivera, Consuelo
Ortiga, O-Sei San, Gertrude Beckette, Nelly Boustead, Suzanne Jacoby and Josephine Bracken. These women might have
been beguiled by his intelligence, charm and wit.

Segunda Katigbak and Leonor Valenzuela

Segunda Katigbak was her puppy love. Unfortunately, his first love was engaged to be married to a town mate- Manuel
Luz. After his admiration for a short girl in the person of Segunda, then came Leonor Valenzuela, a tall girl from Pagsanjan.
Rizal send her love notes written in invisible ink, that could only be deciphered over the warmth of the lamp or candle. He
visited her on the eve of his departure to Spain and bade her a last goodbye.

Leonor Rivera
Leonor Rivera, his sweetheart for 11 years played the greatest influence in keeping him from falling in love with other
women during his travel. Unfortunately, Leonors mother disapproved of her daughters relationship with Rizal, who was
then a known filibustero. She hid from Leonor all letters sent to her sweetheart. Leonor believing that Rizal had already
forgotten her, sadly consented her to marry the Englishman Henry Kipping, her mothers choice.

Consuelo Ortiga
Consuelo Ortiga y Rey, the prettier of Don Pablo Ortigas daughters, fell in love with him. He dedicated to her A la Senorita
C.O. y R., which became one of his best poems. The Ortiga's residence in Madrid was frequented by Rizal and his
compatriots. He probably fell in love with her and Consuelo apparently asked him for romantic verses. He suddenly backed
out before the relationship turned into a serious romance, because he wanted to remain loyal to Leonor Rivera and he did
not want to destroy hid friendship with Eduardo de Lete who was madly in love with Consuelo.

O Sei San
O Sei San, a Japanese samurais daughter taught Rizal the Japanese art of painting known as su-mie. She also helped
Rizal improve his knowledge of Japanese language. If Rizal was a man without a patriotic mission, he would have married
this lovely and intelligent woman and lived a stable and happy life with her in Japan because Spanish legation there offered
him a lucrative job.

Gertrude Beckett
While Rizal was in London annotating the Sucesos de las Islas Filipinas, he boarded in the house of the Beckett family,
within walking distance of the British Museum. Gertrude, a blue-eyed and buxom girl was the oldest of the three Beckett
daughters. She fell in love with Rizal. Tottie helped him in his painting and sculpture. But Rizal suddenly left London for
Paris to avoid Gertrude, who was seriously in love with him. Before leaving London, he was able to finish the group carving
of the Beckett sisters. He gave the group carving to Gertrude as a sign of their brief relationship.

Nellie Boustead
Rizal having lost Leonor Rivera, entertained the thought of courting other ladies. While a guest of the Boustead family at
their residence in the resort city of Biarritz, he had befriended the two pretty daughters of his host, Eduardo Boustead.
Rizal used to fence with the sisters at the studio of Juan Luna. Antonio Luna, Juans brother and also a frequent visitor of
the Bousteads, courted Nellie but she was deeply infatuated with Rizal. In a party held by Filipinos in Madrid, a drunken
Antonio Luna uttered unsavory remarks against Nellie Boustead. This prompted Rizal to challenge Luna into a duel.
Fortunately, Luna apologized to Rizal, thus averting tragedy for the compatriots.

Their love affair unfortunately did not end in marriage. It failed because Rizal refused to be converted to the Protestant
faith, as Nellie demanded and Nellies mother did not like a physician without enough paying clientele to be a son-in-law.
The lovers, however, parted as good friends when Rizal left Europe.

Suzanne Jacoby
In 1890, Rizal moved to Brussels because of the high cost of living in Paris. In Brussels, he lived in the boarding house of
the two Jacoby sisters. In time, they fell deeply in love with each other. Suzanne cried when Rizal left Brussels and wrote
him when he was in Madrid.

Josephine Bracken
In the last days of February 1895, while still in Dapitan, Rizal met an 18-year old petite Irish girl, with bold blue eyes,
brown hair and a happy disposition. She was Josephine Bracken, the adopted daughter of George Taufer from Hong Kong,
who came to Dapitan to seek Rizal for eye treatment. Rizal was physically attracted to her. His loneliness and boredom
must have taken the measure of him and what could be a better diversion that to fall in love again. But the Rizal sisters
suspected Josephine as an agent of the friars and they considered her as a threat to Rizals security.
Rizal asked Josephine to marry him, but she was not yet ready to make a decision due to her responsibility to the blind
Taufer. Since Taufers blindness was untreatable, he left for Hon Kong on March 1895. Josephine stayed with Rizals family
in Manila. Upon her return to Dapitan, Rizal tried to arrange with Father Antonio Obach for their marriage. However, the
priest wanted a retraction as a precondition before marrying them. Rizal upon the advice of his family and friends and with
Josephines consent took her as his wife even without the Church blessings. Josephine later give birth prematurely to a
stillborn baby, a result of some incidence, which might have shocked or frightened her.

http://www.joserizal.ph/lv01.html

Jose Rizal: Stories of Love

Jose Rizal was quite the ladies man ever since he was about fifteen. What else can you expect from a
man who grew up with around nine sisters? Aside from that, how can a woman ever resist such a
refined, cultured and educated man? It is obvious that Teodora Alonso taught Jose a thing or two about
how to treat the female species. It is easy to get kilig or giddy about the romantic ways that Jose used
to woo his women so we J.R. fans decided to have a photoshoot showing our interpretations of his love
escapades.

Many historians record Segunda Katigbak as Jose Rizals first love when they write about him, although
the first girl to ever catch young Pepes eye was actually Julia. When Jose was fifteen he saw a pretty,
young girl wearing a red skirt trying to catch two butterflies. As she was daintily sitting by the Los Banos
river, Rizal approached her and lovingly offered her as many butterflies as she wished. Jose and Julia
were just way too young and innocent to have a real relationship at that time so they eventually forgot
about one another.

Julia as depicted by historians

Our interpretation of Young Jose and Julia

Not many people know what exactly Julia looked like or what her last name even was but it was
recorded by Joses older sister Triliana that she had a simple kind of beauty with an innocent charm.
Julia seems to be such a mysterious girl but the spontaneous way that Jose used to get to know her
showed just what a sweet guy he was even at such a young age.

Who knows what the relationship of Julia and Jose would have blossomed into if they only knew each
other longer?

One of the most memorable girlfriends of Jose Rizal is Leonor Rivera. This woman is so special to Rizal
that she became his inspiration for the famous Maria Clara character from Noli Me Tangere and El
Filibusterismo. Leonor was supposedly Joses cousin yet it did not stop the two lovers from having a love
connection that lasted eleven years. According to Jose Rizal, Leonor Rivera was a demure, beautiful girl
who could sing and play the piano. She had soft, wavy hair, almond eyes and a small pensive mouth.
According to Rizals sisters, she was the most beautiful out of all of his girlfriends.

Leonor Rivera, The Real Maria Clara

Jose Rizal met Leonor Rivera when she was only 13 years old in Dagupan. The couple began their long
distance relationship when Jose left for Europe. They kept in touch by sending letters and photographs
to one another. Their love affair was cut short when the parents of Rivera intervened. They were not
happy about Leonor and Joses relationship because of the bad reputation Rizal gained in the Philippines
for writing Noli Me Tangere. Leonors mother hid the her letters from Rizal and arranged a marriage
for her with Henry Kipping. When Jose heard of the news that his love of 11 years was married to
someone else, he wept terribly.

Jose Rizal and Leonor Rivera. (Located in Fort Santiago)

Jose Rizal tried to stay loyal to Leonor during their long distance relationship. Once in awhile he would
be charmed by beautiful girls around Europe though he did not want to take them seriously because of
his love for Leonor. It was evident that the two loved each other intensely. In fact, Jose Rizal was
saddened by the fact that Leonor grew sickly and had insomnia during her marriage with Henry Kipping.
Because of her frequent illnesses she eventually passed away while Rizal was
inDapitan.their relationship may have not been perfect but the love and dedication they felt for each
other can serve as an inspiration for many couples.

Leonor Rivera and Jose Rizal (modern interpretation)

Jose Rizal also had a Japanese lover named O-sei-san. Her real name is Usui Seiko and she grew up
where Narita Airport stands today. She was an intelligent woman who was said to be the daughter of a
samurai. She was a very intelligent woman and she taught Rizal the Japanese language and su-mie
painting. She also taught Rizal how to write in Japanese characters and she was his interpreter/tour
guide around Japan. Osei had an upbringing that enabled her to speak French and English. Jose Rizal
described her as a shy woman of high culture. If rizal had stayed with her in Japan he would have had
a stable, quiet and peaceful life but his patriotism and love for his country urged him to return to the
Philippines.

After Rizal left, O-sei married a man named Alfred Charlton who was an English teacher. She had a
daughter named Yuriko who married the son of a senator. When O-seis older brother died, her parents
adopted a playmate/sister named Yoshi to keep her company. According to Yoshi, even after Rizal left,
O-sei would lovingly collect Filipino stamps and other souvenirs that had Rizals image. Unfortunately
most of the memoirs she collected were destroyed during the bombing of Tokyo. O-sei died at the age
of 80.
O-sei and Jose Rizal

Most people did not know that Jose Rizal had a wife. Her name was Josephine Bracken. During Jose
Rizals exile in Dapitan he met Josephine when he treated her step-father named George Taufer who
was going blind. Josephine had beautiful blue eyes, chestnut blonde hair and a petite figure, which
immediately attracted Jose Rizal and led to their love affair. Rumor has it that Josephine came from and
Anglo-saxon father and a chinese mother. Josephine loved Rizal so much that she wished to marry him.
In fact, Jose sent a letter to his mother, Teodora asking permission to make Josephine his wife. Joses
sisters and friends were not so open to the idea because they believed that Josephine was a spy. Their
accusations did not stop Jose Rizal from pusuing a marriage with Josephine although they were not
granted one by the church. Instead, the couple joined hand together in front of the altar and proclaimed
themselves a married couple. They lived a quiet, happy, rural life in Dapitan until Rizals execution in
Fort Santiago.

Josephine referred to Jose Rizal as Joe and helped him out i his daily activities around his farm and
school. Jose Rizal wrote in a letter to his family:

What she does for me, how she obeys me and attends to me, would not have been done to me by a
Filipina.

Jose Rizal aslo described Josephine to his family as an orphan lost in the world and he would hate to see
her abandoned. Jose Rizal specifically asked his mother and sisters to treat her with respect and
hospitality altough they were scandalized by their illegitimate marriage and the fact that Josephine may
have been a spy.

Jose Rizal and Josephine Bracken

Sadly for the couple, during their marriage, Josephine gave birth to a still-born son. This event
devastated both of them. More sorrow for Josephine and Jose happened when Rizal was found by the
Spanish friars and to be executed by them. Rizal dedicated passages in his Mi Ultimo Adios, telling his
family to please have pity on poor Josephine. He also addressed her as his friend, foreigner and felicity.

A few days before Rizal was executed, Josephine visited him with a priest and there are rumors that he
retracted his criticisms against the Church which validated their marriage. During this time, Rizal gave
Josephine a last parting gift which was a book called, Imitation of Christ, by Thomas Kempis. On the
first page he wrote, To my dear unhappy wife Josephine Bracken, Jose Rizal.Following the death of
Rizal, there are other rumors that Josephine joined the insurgents and even participated in killing a
Spanish soldier. She eventually returned to Hongkong in May. It was in Hongkong 1898 that she
eventually remmarried a man named Vincent Abad and had a baby girl named Dolores. She nicknamed
the child Dolly.

Josephine died from tuberculosis at the age of 25 but even with her less than perfect marriage to Rizal,
she always referred to herself as his wife. There is a statue in Luneta Park depicting Jose Rizals last
goodbye to Josephine Bracken before his execution day.
Many of the drawings and sculptures that Jose Rizal made of Josephine are displayed in museums
around the Philippines. There is a street in Dapitan dedicated to her and a series of bronze statues of her
and Rizal. She is assisting an eye operation in one of them.

Their love story will never be forgotten by Filipinos. In fact, she may be one of the most famous
girlfriends of Jose Rizal overall.

https://joserizalfans.wordpress.com/category/rizals-love-life/

Rizal's Romances
There are nine (9) recorded women in Rizal's life, however some historians suggest that there have been
more. Below are brief accounts of Jose Rizal's romances:

SEGUNDA KATIGBAK: RIZAL'S FIRST LOVE

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."

Stolen Glances

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."

A Blossoming Love

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."

Hopeless from the Beginning

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: PRIVATE LETTERS

Leonor Valenzuela

When Rizal was a sophomore at the University of Santo Tomas and was boarding in the house of Dona
Concha Leyva in Intramuros he met Leonor "Orang" Valenzuela, his next-door neighbor and daughter of
Capitan Juan and Capitana Sanday Valenzuela. She was a tall girl who carried herself with grace and
elegance.
Exchanging Love Notes

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 RIVERA: THE FIRST ENGAGEMENT

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.

A Secret Relationship

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.

A Lady's Infidelity
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 -- and begged for his forgiveness. This
broke Rizal's heart deeply.

CONSUELO ORTIGA Y PEREZ: A SACRIFICE FOR FRIENDSHIP

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.

Taken by Charm

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.

An Escape from Loneliness

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.

Backing Out
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.

O-SEI-SAN: LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT

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.

An Exploration of Beauty

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.

Sayonara

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: A CHISELED BEAUTY

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.

The Artist's Right Hand

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.

Rizal enjoyed her company. Eventually their flirtatious friendship drifted towards a blossoming
romance. He affectionately called her "Gettie," and in return she called him "Pettie."

Leaving for a Higher Cause

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: A LOVE UNREQUITED

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.

A Broken Heart

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: A FAILED PROPOSAL

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. Boustead had two beautiful
daughters, Adelina and Nellie.

An Emotional Rebounce

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.

Consent from the Lady's Past Love

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.

A Broken Engagement

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: TRUE LOVE IN EXILE

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.

Overcoming Barriers
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.

Exchanging Vows

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.

The Loss of a Child

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 in honor of his father, and buried the child in Dapitan.

http://thelifeandworksofrizal.blogspot.com/2012/02/rizals-romances.html