Biography of Rizal

Jose Protacio Rizal Mercado Y Alonso Realonda

Who Was José Rizal?

While living in Europe, José Rizal wrote about the discrimination that
accompanied Spain's colonial rule of his country. He returned to the Philippines in
1892 but was exiled due to his desire for reform. Although he supported peaceful
change, Rizal was convicted of sedition and executed on December 30, 1896, at
age 35.

Early Life
On June 19, 1861, José Protasio Rizal Mercado y Alonso Realonda was born in
Calamba in the Philippines' Laguna Province. A brilliant student who became
proficient in multiple languages, José Rizal studied medicine in Manila. In 1882,
he traveled to Spain to complete his medical degree.

 Name: Jose Protacio Rizal Mercado Y Alonso Realonda

 Birth date: June 19, 1861
 Birth City: Calamba, Laguna Province
 Parents: Teodora Alonso Realonda, Francisco Mercado
 Siblings: Saturnina, Paciano, Narcisa, Olimpia, Lucia, Maria, conception,
Josefa, Trinidad, Soledad
 Best Known For: José Rizal called for peaceful reform of Spain's colonial
rule in the Philippines. After his 1896 execution, he became an icon for
the nationalist movement.
 Industries
o Science and Medicine
o Journalism and Nonfiction
o World Politics
 Astrological Sign: Gemini
 Schools
o University of Madrid
o University of Heidelberg
o University of Santo Tomas
 Nacionalities
 o
o Spanish
o Filipino
 Death date: December 30, 1896
 Death City: Manila

Reference: https://www.biography.com/political-figures/jos%C3%A9-rizal

Travel
Singapore (May 3, 1882)
 During the voyage he carefully observed the people and things on board the
steamer. There were sixteen passengers. The captain of the ship, Donato
Lecha befriended Rizal. To kill boredom of the voyage, Rizal played chess
with his fellow passengers. He then defeated them many times, for he was a
good chess player.
Colombo (May 9)
 He then stayed at Hotel de la Paz and spent two days on a sightseeing soiree
of the city. He saw the famous Botanical Garden, the beautiful Buddhist
templates, the busy shopping district, and the statue of Sir Thomas Stanford
Raffles, who was the founder of Singapore.
Suez Canal ( May 17)
 Upon arrival, Rizal disembarked and went sightseeing. What impressed him
most was the beautiful moonlight which reminded him of Calamba and his
family.
Naples and Marseilles (June 11)
 This city pleased Rizal because of its business activity, its lively people and
its scenic beauty. He was fascinated by the Mouth Vesuvius, the Castle of ST.
Telmo and other historic sights of the city.
Barcelona (May 15)
  Rizal left Marseilles to proceed to Spain via train. He crossed the Pyrenees
and stopped for a day at the frontier town of Port Bou.
Madrid ( November 3, 1882)
 Rizal enrolled in the Universidad Central de Madrid. He took up took
courses—Medicine and Philosophy and Letters. Aside from the two major
courses, he also studied painting and sculpture in the Academy of Fine Arts
of San Fernando; he took lessons in French, German, and English under
private instructors; and assiduously practiced fencing and shooting in the Hall
of Arms of Sanz y Carbonell.
Berlin
 Rizal liked Berlin because of its atmosphere which was very scientific and the
absence of race prejudice. Also, here he met Dr. Feodor Jagor author of
Travels in the Philippines, a book that Rizal admired because of its keen
observances in the Philippine setting. Dr. Jagor in turn, introduced Rizal to
Dr. Rudolf Virchow, a famous anthropologist and to his son, Dr. Hans
Virchow, professor of Descriptive Anatomy. Rizal worked in the clinic of Dr.
Karl Ernest Schweigger, a famous German ophthalmologist.
 Rizal was the first Asian to be accorded with honors for being a member of
the Anthropological Society, the Ethnological Society, and the Geographical
Society of Berlin. Dr. Virchow recognized Rizal’s genius, invited him to give
a lecture before the Ethnographic Society of Berlin. Rizal wrote a scholarly
paper entitled Taglische Verkunst (Tagalog Metrical Art) which elicited
favorable comments from all scientific quarters.
 Noli Me Tangere published in Berlin, Noli Me Tangere during Rizal’s stay in
Berlin was unable to be published. But with the help of Maximo Viola, who
gave him the necessary funds to publish the novel, Noli Me Tangere was
published. Viola loaned Rizal money for publishing and for Rizal’s living
expenses. With that, Rizal and Viola happily celebrated the Christmas of 1886
in Berlin.
Grand Tour of Europe
 After the publication of Noli, Rizal planned to visit the important places in
Europe. Rizal received his money from Paciano worth 1,000 pesos. He
immediately paid viola the sum of 300 pesos from his kind loan. At dawn of
May 11, 1887, Rizal and Viola left Berlin by train. Spring was in the air and
 Europe is blooming with flowers. Their destination was Dresden, “One of the
best cities in Germany”.
Dresden
 Rizal and Viola spent some time in Dresden. Their visit coincided with the
regional floral exposition. Rizal studied different plants because he was
interested in botany. They visited Dr. Adolph B. Meyer, who was overjoyed
to see them. They also visited the Museum of Art and Rizal was deeply
impressed by the painting of “Prometheus Bound”, a Greek mythological
tragedy.
Blumentritt and Leitmeritz
 At 1:30 p.m. of May 13, 1887, the train with Rizal and Viola on board arrived
at the railroad station of Leitmeritz, Bohemia. Professor Blumentritt waited
for them in the station after he received the wire. He was carrying a pencil
sketch of Rizal which the letter had previously sent him, so that he could
identify his Filipino friend. He warmly welcomed Rizal and Viola.
Madrid Exposition
 During his tour in Europe, Rizal received sad news from his friends in Madrid
of the deplorable conditions of primitive Igorots who were exhibited in this
expositions, some of whom died and whose clothing are inappropriate for the
climate of Madrid, and crude weapons were objects of mockery and laughter
by the Spanish people and press. Rizal being a champion of human dignity
was outrageous.
Italy
 Rizal went to Italy. He visited Turin, Milan, Venice and Florence. On June
27, 1887, he reached Rome. He was thrilled by the sights and memories of
the Eternal City—Rome.
 On June 29th, Rizal visited for the first time the Vatican, the “City of the
Popes” and the capital Christendom. He was impressed by the magnificent
edifices, particularly of St. Peter’s Church which was also his feast day during
that time.
First Homecoming ( From 1882 to 1887)
  Rizal was in Europe studying. There he was allured, fascinated and have all
the beautiful memories throughout his sojourn. But this will not make Rizal
forget his fatherland and his nationality. After 5 years of memorable
adventure in Europe, he returned to the Philippines in August 1887 and
practiced medicine in Calamba.
 Rizal left Rome by train for Marseilles and on July 3, 1887 he boarded the
steamer Djemnah which was the same steamer he boarded five years ago. The
steamer was enroute to the Orient via the Suez Canal. Rizal saw this canal for
the second time.
 On July 30, he transferred to another steamer in Saigon to steamer Haiphong
which was bound to Manila. On August 2, the steamer left Saigon for Manila.
Arrival at Manila
 On August 5, the Haiphong arrived in Manila and he went ashore with a happy
heart for he was once again in Filipino soil. He stayed in the city for a short
time to visit some friends and observed that Manila was the same five years
ago.
Second Travel
Hong Kong ( February 3, 1888)
Macao ( February 18)
Japan ( February 28 to April 13, 1888)
Visit to the United States ( April 28, 1888)
San Francisco (May 4-16, 1888)
London ( from May, 1888 to March 1889 )
Belgian Brussels ( January 28, 1890 )
Madrid ( August 1890 )
Biarritz ( March 30, 1891 )
Ghent ( July 5, 1891 )
Hong Kong ( November, 1891 to June 1892 )
Second Homecoming ( May, 1892 )
Reference: https://travels-of-rizal.weebly.com/

Achievement
1. Literary Works:
- Noli Me Tangere (1887) and El Filibusterismo (1891): These novels exposed the
social injustices under Spanish colonial rule, igniting Filipino nationalism.
- Poetry and Essays: His poem Mi Ultimo Adios (My Last Farewell) emphasized
love for country and freedom.

2. Education and Intellectual Excellence:

- Rizal earned degrees in Medicine and Philosophy and Letters at the Universidad
Central de Madrid in Spain.
- He was a polyglot, mastering multiple languages, including Spanish, German,
French, and Japanese.
- He studied various fields such as ophthalmology, agriculture, engineering, and
the arts, showcasing his versatility as a scholar.

3. Advocacy for Reforms:

- Rizal was a key figure in the Propaganda Movement, calling for political, social,
and educational reforms in the Philippines through his writings and speeches.
- His works in the publication *La Solidaridad* advocated for Filipino rights and
equality under Spanish rule.

4. Medical Contributions:
- As an ophthalmologist, Rizal treated many patients, including his mother, who
suffered from blindness.
- His medical practice exemplified his compassion and desire to help others,
regardless of social standing.
5. Contributions to Philippine Identity:
- Rizal's efforts inspired a sense of Filipino nationalism, promoting the idea of a
unified identity and self-determination.
- His writings, thoughts, and sacrifices united Filipinos in their struggle for
freedom and sovereignty.

6. Martyrdom
- Rizal's execution on December 30, 1896, in Bagumbayan (now Rizal Park)
solidified his status as a martyr. His death became a rallying point for Filipinos,
fueling the Philippine Revolution against Spain.

Reference: https://study.com's-lesson-on-Dr. Jos-Rizal.weebly.com/