Dr.

Jose Rizal’s Life Story 

Rizal’s Ancestry and childhood

(1861-1869)
Location of Calamba
Overview of Life in Calamba

• Small agricultural town at the foot of Mt. Makiling sloping down to

Laguna de Bay;
• Calamba named after a big native jar
• Sugar was the major
product

• Estates were owned by the

Dominican friars

• The scenic beauty helped

develop Rizal’s poetic and
artistic creativity

• Their hardships as tenants

developed his noble and
heroic spirit
• Rizal’s home was a 2-storey, rectangular house
made of adobe stones and hardwood; roofed with
red tiles; had a cistern (reservoir), for water; had
an orchard and poultry of turkeys and chicken.
Rizal’s Family Ancestry

• He is a mixture of East and West

races: Negrito, Indonesian,
predominantly Malayan,
Chinese, Japanese, Spanish.
Rizal’s Family Ancestry

• Paternal Lineage - Domingo Lamco from Fukien

City who arrived in Manila in 1690, married a Chinese
Christian: Ines de la Rosa. He assumed the name
MERCADO (he was a merchant), which meant
“market”, in English, in order to free the family from
prejudice of Chinese name.

• RIZAL, a second surname given by the

Spanish alcalde mayor (provincial governor)
of Laguna.

• RIZAL means a field where wheat, cut while

still green sprouts again.
• Maternal Lineage - Manuel de Quintos, a Chinese
mestizo from Lingayen, Pangasinan, married to Regina
Ursua (of Japanese ancestry) was a lawyer;

• Their daughter Brigida married Lorenzo Alberto

Alonso, an engineer.

• They had 5 children, including Teodora, Rizal’s

mother;

• The Alonso family produced lawyers, priests,

engineers, and government officials.

• The family belonged to then privileged class, the

principalia; they owned carriages and horses which
were symbols of wealth and respectability.
Rizal’s family

• Father:
• Francisco Mercado Rizal
(born in Binan); “a model of
fathers”

• Mother:

• Teodora Alonzo y Realonda

• Brother and sisters
▫ Saturnina;

▫ Paciano ( 10 years older

than Jose; Pilosopo Tasio
in “Noli”; “most noble of
Filipinos; was a Maj. Gen.
under Emilio Aguinaldo;
tortured by Spaniards); he
later retired to his farm in
Los Banos and led a quiet
life until his death in 1930;

▫ Narcisa, musician and

became a teacher in
Morong;
▫ Olimpia, became a
telegraph operator in
Manila;

▫ Lucia, married to
Mariano Herbosa who
was denied a Christian
burial;

▫ Maria, nicknamed
“Biang”;
Jose

• Was born June 19, 1861, on a Wed. between 11 PM-

Midnight.

• He Died on December 30, 1896.

• He was the 7th of 11 children.

• His Mother made a vow to the Virgin of Antipolo to take

the baby to the sanctuary by pilgrimage; mother named
him “Jose”, who was a devotee of St. Joseph.

• he was Baptized after 3 days by Fr. Rufino Collantes (he

commented that he will be a great man with the big
head of the baby). his Godfather was Fr. Pedro
Casanas.

• Rizal called his sisters Dona” or Senora ( if married) or

Senorita ( if single)
• Concepcion, died at 3 yrs.;
Rizal’s first sorrow;

• Josefa, an epileptic, died an

old maid at 80 years old;

• Trinidad, the last of the

family to die; died an old
maid at 83;

• Soledad “Choleng”
• His mother was his first teacher Mother

• Private tutors: Maestro Celestino,

Maestro Lucas Padua, Leon Monroy

• At 9 years old, he was sent to Binan to

study under Maestro Justiniano Aquino
Cruz

• Formal lessons in Latin & Spanish.

• Developed his painting skills.

• Referred to himself as a “fashionable”

painter
Formal Search for Knowledge

• Ateneo Education: Refinement

of Rizal’s Skills (1872-1877)

• Managed by the Jesuit priests

• Passed the admission to Ateneo

• Obtained his Bachelor of Arts with

Highest honors

• Had good scholastic records

• His favorite novel: The Count of

Monte Cristo by Alexander Dumas

• Mother was imprisoned while he was

in Ateneo;
• Extracurricular activities:

• Bookworm; Campus leader; “Emperor”

in the class room; Member: Marian
Congregation; Poetry lessons; Fine arts
- sculpture

• Wrote poems in Ateneo

• There were only 12 students who

graduated, 9 of them (including Rizal)
got grades with “excellent” marks

• Fr. Fransisco de Paula Sanchez: Rizal’s

best professor in Ateneo

• Segunda Katigbak: First Romance of

Rizal
University of Santo Tomas (1877-1882)

• Managed by the Dominican priests (Dominicans and

Jesuits were rival educators)

• April 1877, enrolled in Philosophy and Letters for 2

reasons: His father liked it and he was not certain as
to the career he would pursue

• Mother opposed son’s pursuit for higher learning that

if he gets to know more, they will cut off his head

• 1877-1878: finished surveying at Ateneo.

• It was during this period that he experienced the

Spanish brutality when he failed to salute a Guardia
Civil.
• Spanish students on campus called the Filipino
students “chongos” (monkeys); in return the Filipinos
called them “Bangus” (Milkfish)

• 1880: Founded the secret society in UST called

Companerismo(comradeship);
• this led Filipino students into combats against
Spanish students in street fights;
• members were called Companerismo of Jehu;

Disadvantage at UST:

▫ Dominican professors were hostile

▫ There was racial discrimination
▫ The method of teaching was obsolete.
• He took up Medicine to help the failing eyesight of
his mother.

Paciano advised him to go to Europe

• To seek more knowledge on Western medicine;

• Help the Filipino cause;

• Observe the life and culture, language, commerce,

government, laws in Europe to liberate the people.

▫ He left for Europe on May 3, 1882 (SS Salvador)

Education in Europe

• On November 3, 1882, he enrolled in the

Universidad Central de Madrid;

• On June 21, 1884, he was given the license in

medicine by the Universidad Central de
Madrid;

• He studied and passed all subjects leading to

the degree of Doctor of Medicine
Reasons why he was not awarded his Doctor’s Diploma:

• He did not present the thesis required for graduation

• He did not pay the corresponding fees.

(M.D. was conferred to him posthumously – in 1961 – 100
years after his birth!).
(June 19, 1885(Rizal’s 24th birthday).)

• He was awarded the degree of licentiate in Philosophy &

letters by the Universidad Central de Madrid with the
rating of “EXCELLENT” (Sobresaliente)

• He also became qualified to be a professor in humanities in

any Spanish Universities

• He became a full-pledged physician & qualified to practice

medicine
The Travels of Dr. Rizal

Rizal’s Secret Mission

• To observe keenly the life and culture, languages and
customs, industries and commerce, and governments and
laws of the European nations in order to prepare himself in
the mighty task of liberating his oppressed people from
Spanish tyranny.

Secret Departure for Spain

• Purpose: to avoid detection by the Spanish authorities and

friars. Paciano, his only brother, knew about his secret
departure for Spain.

To Singapore:
• Departure: May 3, 1882 on board Spanish Steamer
Salvadora and arrived in Singapore on May 9, 1882
• Registered at: Hotel de La Paz (and stayed for 2 days there)
From Singapore to Colombo:

• He boarded the ship Djemnah (French Steamer) on May 11,

1882. On May 18, 1882, he reached Colombo, capital of
Ceylon (now Sri Lanka).

• He had a brief stop-over at Aden, proceeded to city of Suez, the

Red sea terminal of the Suez Canal and passed by Port Said, to
see the interesting sights.

To Europe:

• He reached Naples on June 11, 1882. On June 12, 1882, his ship
docked at French harbor, Marseilles where he spent 21/2 days; he
visited the famous Chateau d’ If, the prison house of Dantes in
“The Count of Monte Cristo.

• On June 15, 1882, left Marseilles by train and reached Barcelona

by June 16.

• He wrote his first article “Amor Patrio” at Plaza de Cataluña

where his friends gave him a welcome party;
Two Sad news he received:

• cholera was ravaging Manila according to Paciano’s letter date

September 15.

• Chengoy related the unhappiness of Leonor Rivera

Life in Madrid:

• On November 3, 1882, he enrolled in the Universidad Central de

Madrid.

• He enrolled in Medicine, Philosophy & letters all at the same time.

• He wrote La Señorita, a poem dedicated to C.O. y P.; written on

August 22, 1883. He led a SPARTAN (disciplined life): tight
budget, spent most of his time reading; his only extravagance was
on lottery tickets.

• Dr. Miguel Morayta – professor of history; his address resulted to

student demonstrations
First visit to Paris

• In March 1883 – joined Masonic

Lodge

• Reason why he became a Mason:

To secure aid in his fight against
the friars in the Philippines:

• June 17- August 20 – journeying

to Paris

• Financial worries: failure of farm

produce due to drought and
locusts
• Rizal’s Salute to Luna & Hidalgo

▫ Spolarium – Juan Luna won first prize

▫ Christian Virgins Exposed to the Populace –

by Felix Resurreccion Hidalgo
Luna’s Spoliarium
 Hidalgo’s
Christian Virgins Exposed to the Populace
Paris to Berlin (1885-1887)
• November, 1885 – left Paris

Rizal went to Paris & Germany to

specialize in ophthalmology

• Reason: he wanted to cure his

mother’s eye ailment

• German scientists he met: Dr.

Feodor Jagor, Dr. Hans Meyer, Dr.
Adolph B. Meyer, and Dr. Rudolph
Virchow

• Maximo Viola was his friend in

Barcelona, - a medical student & a
member of a rich family of San
Miguel, Bulacan.
• Rizal served as an assistant
to Dr. Louis de Wecker,
French ophthalmologist
(1852-1906)

• Outside of his working hours

at Dr. Weckert’s clinic, Rizal
relaxed by visiting his
friends:

• Family of Pardo de Taveras

(Trinidad, Felix and Paz,
Juan Luna – engaged to Paz
Pardo de Tavera – a pretty
girl.

• Felix Resurreccion Hidalgo

Historic Heidelberg:

• February 1, 1886 – left gay

Paris for Germany

• Worked at the University Eye

Hospital under Dr. Otto
Becker – distinguished
German Ophthalmologist
• July 31, 1886 – Rizal wrote his first letter in German
to Professor Ferdinand Blumentritt, director of the
Ateneo of Leitmeritz, Austria
• Leipzig- was cheapest in Europe; so he stayed two
months & a half (21/2)

• Worked as proof-reader in a publishers firm (bec.

of his knowledge of German, Spanish & other
European languages)

• October 29, 1886 – left Leipzig for Dresden where

he met Dr. Adolph B. Meyer – director of the
Anthropological & Ethnological Museum.

• November 1, 1886 – left Dresden by train reaching

Berlin in the evening
Rizal Welcomed in Berlin’s
Scientific Circles

• He met for the 1st time

Dr. Feodor Jagor;
a German scientist-traveler
& author of
Travels in the Philippines

• Dr. Jagor introduced Rizal to Dr. Rudolph Virchow, a

famous German anthropologist; son of Dr. Hans Virchow

• He worked in a clinic of Dr. Karl Ernest Schweigger; a

famous German opthalmologist.
Rizal’s lived in this famous Capital of Unified
Germany for 5 reasons:

• to gain further knowledge of ophthalmology

• to pursue his studies of sciences & languages

• to observe the economy and political conditions of the

German nation

• to associate with famous German scientists & scholars

• to publish his novel, Noli Me Tangere

• By day, he worked as an assistant in the clinic of Dr.

Schweigger, a German ophthalmologist; at night – he
attended lectures in the University of Berlin
Rizal’s darkest winter: On the bleak winter of 1886, he
experienced the following:

• He lived in poverty at Berlin; the diamond ring w/c his

sister, Saturnina gave was pawned;

• He could not pay his landlord.

• He ate only once a day (bread & water or some cheap

vegetable soup).

• His clothes were old and threadbare. He washed his own

clothes because he could not afford to pay laundry.

• Paciano was delayed in raising necessary funds. Rizal

starved in Berlin and shivered with wintry cold; began to
cough & feared that he was going to be sick with
tuberculosis.
• Brought him great joy after
enduring so much suffering
because his 1st novel Noli Me
Tangere came off the press
in March, 1887

• Noli Me Tangere published

in Berlin (1887), dedicated
to the Philippines, “To my
Fatherland ” The idea of
writing a Novel on the
Philippines was inspired by
Harriet Beecher Stowe’s
Uncle Tom’s Cabin
• On January 2, 1884, at a reunion of Filipinos at the
Paterno residence in Madrid. Rizal proposed the
writing of a novel about the Philippines by a group of
Filipinos.

• Unfortunately, Rizal’s project did not materialize

because almost everybody wanted to write on women
and his companions wasted their time gambling or
flirting with Spanish señoritas.

• So, Rizal wrote the novel alone.

• February 21, 1887 – Noli is finally finished and ready

for printing.
Rizal suspected as French spy:

• Chief of police in Berlin visited Rizal’s

boarding house asking for passport. Rizal had
none. Chief told him to secure a passport
within four days.

• Rizal, accompanied by Viola, went to the

Spanish ambassador, the Count of Benomar.
But the ambassador failed to keep his promise
because he had no power to issue the required
passport.
• Rizal presented himself at the office of the
German police chief at the expiration of the
four-day ultimatum.

• Police chief received intelligence reports that

Rizal has frequent visits to villages & little
towns in the rural areas. Resided there where
he was apparently a lover of France. (France &
Germany relationship was strained on account
of Alsace-Lorraine)

• Rizal, fluent in German told the police chief

that he was not a French spy but a Filipino
physician, an ethnologist.
Rizal’s Grand Tour in Europe with Maximo
Viola (1887)

• Dr. Maximo Viola was his companion during his

tour in Europe

• In Teschen ( now Decin, Czechoslovakia) the first

meeting with Prof. Blumentritt

• It was during their tour in Europe, an Exposition

of the Philippines was also held in Madrid, Spain.
The primitive Igorots were exhibited in this
exhibition.
His First Homecoming (August 5, 1887-1888)
• In his trip back to Manila: rode Djemnah, same boat he rode
on 5 years earlier

Reasons why he returned to the Philippines:

• To operate on his mother’s eyes

• To serve his people who had long been oppressed by Spanish

tyrants

• To find out for himself how the Noli and his other writings
were affecting Filipinos and Spaniards in the Philippines.

• To inquire why Leonor Rivera (his girlfriend) remained silent

• Governor General Emilio Terrero sent him a letter,
requesting him to come to Malacañang Palace.

• Eight Pamphlets (Questions of Supreme Interest) to blast

the Noli and other anti-Spanish writings written by Fr.
Rodriguez were sold daily in the churches after Mass.

• Lt. Jose Taviel de Andrade, assigned body guard for Rizal

by the generosity of Gov. Gen. Terrero

• Opened a gymnasium to introduce European sports,

gymnastics, fencing, and shooting to discourage
cockfighting and gambling
• One failure in his trip:
He was not able to see
Leonor Rivera

• Upon advice of
Terrero, Rizal had to
leave the Philippines to
avoid danger.