José Protacio Rizal Mercado y Alonso Realonda
FaCts
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Known For: Hero of the Philippines for his key role in inspiring the Philippine Revolution against colonial Spain
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Born: June 19, 1861, at Calamba, Laguna
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Parents: Francisco Rizal Mercado and Teodora Alonzo y Quintos
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Died: December 30, 1896, in Manila, the Philippines
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Education: Ateneo Municipal de Manila; studied medicine at the University of Santo Tomas in Manila; medicine and philosophy at the Universidad Central de Madrid; ophthalmology at the University of Paris and the University of Heidelberg
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Published Works: Noli Me Tangere, El Filibusterismo
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Spouse: Josephine Bracken (married two hours before his death)
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Notable Quote: "On this battlefield, man has no better weapon than his intelligence, no other force but his heart."
Francisco Rizal Mercado
Jose Rizal’s significance in the 19th century lies in his role as a national hero, his advocacy for reform and peaceful resistance, and his martyrdom, all of which contributed to the shaping of Filipino national identity and the fight for independence from Spanish colonial rule.
Significance of jose rizal
Early Life
José Protasio Rizal Mercado y Alonso Realonda was born on June 19, 1861, in Calamba, Laguna, the seventh child of Francisco Rizal Mercado and Teodora Alonzo y Quintos. They used to call him “Pepe” as his nickname and he belonged to a big family of thirteen members including his parents. The family were wealthy farmers who rented land from the Dominican religious order. Descendants of a Chinese immigrant named Domingo Lam-co, they changed their name to Mercado ("market") under the pressure of anti-Chinese feelings among the Spanish colonizers.
From an early age, Rizal showed a precocious intellect. He learned the alphabet from his mother at 3 and could read and write at 5.
family
Parents
Francisco mercado, father
Don Francisco Rizal Mercado was born on May 11, 1818 and was the youngest of his 13 siblings. Mercado was a well respected man in their home town of Calamba in which citizens made him their "cabeza de barangay" (head of town.) He was of part Chinese descent, having been related to a Chinese entrepreneur by the name of Domingo Lamco. Mercado died shortly after Rizal in the home of his daughter, Narcisa Rizal in Binondo, Manila on January 5, 1898.
teodora alonso, mother
Dona Teodora Alonso was born on November 14, 1827 in Santa Cruz Manila. Her parents were Lorenzo Alonso, a municipal captain and Brijida de Quintos, an educated housewife and had four other siblings . It is said that her great grandfather, Eugenio Ursua was of Japanese ancestry making her of Japanese descent. When Teodora was 20 years old, she married Francisco Mercado, a native from Binan, Laguna. Together they prospered in Calamba after involving themselves in business and agriculture. She was known to be a hardworking, intelligent, business-minded woman. She died in 1913 in Manila.
siblings
Saturnina hidalgo, sister
Saturnina Mercado Rizal Hidalgo was born in 1818 and was the eldest sister of Jose Rizal. She had five children together with her husband Manuel T. Hidalgo and died the same year as her mother in 1913.
paciano rizal, brother
General Paciano Mercado Rizal aka "Lolo Ciano" was the only brother of Jose Rizal. He was born in 1851 and studied in Binan later attending school at the Colegio de San Jose in Manila. After the execution of his brother, he joined in the Philippine Revolution where he rose up to the ranks of a General. He later married Severina Decena of Los Banos and had two children of which one died at an early age. Paciano passed away in 1930.
narcisa lopez
Narcisa Rizal Lopez was born in 1852 and was the one who found the unmarked grave of her brother, Jose in the abandoned Old Paco Cemetery. Narcisa married Antonio Lopez who was a teacher and musician from Morong, Rizal. She died in 1938.
olympia Ubaldo, SISter
Olympia Rizal Ubaldo was born in 1855. She married Silvestre Ubaldo and together they had three children. She died in 1887 when she was only 32 years old.
Lucia Herbosa, sister
Lucia Rizal Herbosa was born in 1857. She married Mariano Herbosa and had 5 children together. In 1889 Mariano died due to an epidemic but was denied a Christian burial. This was due to the fact that he was the brother-in-law of Jose Rizal. This showed the beginning of the persecution of the Rizal family by Spanish friars. Lucia died in 1919.
Maria Cruz, sister
Maria Cruz Rizal was born in 1855. She married Daniel Faustino Cruz of Binan, Laguna and together they had 5 children. Mauricio Cruz, one of Maria's children, became a student of Jose Rizal in Dapitan and was known to be one of his uncle's favorites. Maria was a known recipient of many of Jose's letters during his lifetime. Maria died in 1945.
Concepcion Rizal, sister
Concepcion Rizal was born in 1862. Concepcion did not live very long as she died at the age of 3 in 1865.
Josefa Rizal, sister
Josefa Rizal was born in 1865. She was unmarried and lived together with her sister Trinidad until death. Josefa was said to have suffered from epilepsy. She died in 1945.
Trinidad Rizal, sister
Trinidad Rizal was born in 1868. She remained unmarried and lived together with her sister Josefa. Trinidad was the one who received an alcohol lamp from Brother Jose, in which he secretly hid the "Last Farewell" better known as "Mi Ultimos Adios," a poem Rizal wrote on the eve of his death in 1896. Trinidad died in 1951, outliving all her siblings.
Soledad Quintero, sister
Soledad Rizal Quintero was born in 1870 making her the youngest of the Rizal siblings. She married Pantaleon Quintero and together they had 5 children. Soledad died in 1929.
references
José Rizal. (2018). Pairserver.com. http://bayaningrizal.pairserver.com/jru/rizalfamily.html
(2012, December 4). JoseRizal.com – Jose Rizal Family. JoseRizal.com. https://www.joserizal.com/jose-rizal-family/
Family. (2024). José Rizal:Philippine National Hero. http://12935964.weebly.com/family.html
Craig, A. (2024). Lineage, Life and Labors of José Rizal: Philippine Patriot. Gutenberg.org.
Gunner, J. (2020). Books and Literary Works Written by José Rizal. Yourdictionary.com. https://www.yourdictionary.com/articles/rizal-literary-works
Life of Jose Rizal | Journal of Innovation and Social Change. (2024). J-Isc.org. https://j-isc.org/life-of-jose-rizal/