Rizal's Early Life and Ancestry

• José Protacio Mercado Rizal y Alonzo Realonda was born on June 19, 1861, in Calamba, Laguna.
• He was baptized on June 22, 1861, by Father Rufino Collantes, with Father Pedro Casanas as his godparent.
• The Governor-General of the Philippines at the time of Rizal's birth was Lieutenant-General Jose Lemery.

Rizal's Ancestry

• Domingo Lam-co, a Chinese immigrant from Amoy, was Rizal's paternal ancestor.
• Domingo Lam-co married Ines de la Rosa, a Chinese half-breed.
• The Mercado-Rizal family had Chinese, Japanese, Spanish, Malay, and Negrito blood.

Rizal's Parents

• Don Francisco Mercado (1818-1898):
  • Born in Biñan, Laguna on May 11, 1818.
  • Studied Latin and Philosophy at the College of San Jose in Manila.
  • A tenant-farmer on Dominican-owned land.
  • Known for being independent, hardworking, and valiant.
  • Died in Manila on January 5, 1898, at age 80.
  • Rizal called him "a model of fathers".
• Doña Teodora Alonso Realonda (1826-1911):
  • Born in Manila on November 8, 1826.
  • Educated at the College of Santa Rosa.
  • A cultured woman with literary talent and business ability.
  • Knew literature and spoke Spanish.
  • Died in Manila on August 16, 1911, at age 85.

The Rizal Children

• The Rizal family had eleven children: two sons and nine daughters.
• Saturnina (1850-1913):
  • Oldest child, nicknamed Neneng.
  • Married Manuel T. Hidalgo.
• Paciano (1851-1930):
  • Older brother and confidant of Jose Rizal.
  • Acted as a second father to Rizal.
  • Immortalized as Pilosopo Tasio in Noli Me Tangere.
  • Considered "the most noble of Filipinos" by Rizal.
  • Became a general in the Philippine Revolution.
  • Died a bachelor on April 13, 1930, at age 79 and had two children with Severina Decena.
• Narcisa (1852-1939):
  • Pet name Sisa.
  • Married Antonio Lopez.
• Olimpia (1855-1887):
  • Pet name Ypia.
  • Married Silvestre Ubaldo.
• Lucia (1857-1919):
  • Married Mariano Herbosa.
  • Mariano Herbosa died of cholera and was denied Christian burial.
• Maria (1859-1945):
  • Nickname Biang.
  • Married Daniel Faustino Cruz.
• Jose (1861-1896):
  • The greatest Filipino hero, nicknamed Pepe.
  • Lived with Josephine Bracken and had a son named Francisco who died shortly after birth.
• Concepcion (1862-1865):
  • Pet name Concha.
  • Died at age 3 and her death was Rizal's first sorrow.
• Josefa (1865-1945):
  • Pet name Panggoy.
  • Died unmarried at age 80.
• Trinidad (1868-1951):
  • Pet name Trining.
  • Died unmarried at age 83.
• Soledad (1870-1929):
  • Youngest child, pet name Choleng.
  • Married Pantaleon Quintero.

The Rizal Surname

• Francisco Mercado adopted the Rizal surname following a decree in 1849 by Governor General Narciso Claveria.
• The decree required native Filipino and immigrant families to adopt Spanish surnames.
• José Rizal dropped three other names and retained Protacio.
• The family preferred the old name Mercado.
• Rizal means a field where wheat sprouts again.

The Rizal Home

• The Rizal family's house in Calamba was a distinguished two-story stone house.
• The family belonged to the principalia, the town aristocracy.

Childhood Years in Calamba

• Calamba was named after a big native jar.
• Calamba was a hacienda town owned by the Dominican Order.
• Rizal wrote "Un Recuerdo A Mi Pueblo" (In Memory of My Town) in 1876 at age 15.
• Rizal's first memory was of the family garden at three years old.
• The family would pray the Angelus at nightfall.
• Rizal remembered nocturnal walks in the town.
• The death of Concha was Rizal's first sorrow.
• At three years old, Rizal began to participate in family prayers.
• By age five, Rizal could haltingly read the Spanish family bible.
• The story of the moth made a profound impression on Rizal he thought the moth “died a martyr to its illusions”.
• At age five, Rizal sketched and made objects from clay and wax.
• "Sa Aking Mga Kabata" (To My Fellow Children) was Rizal's first poem in his native language at age eight.
• At eight years old, Rizal wrote his first dramatic work, a Tagalog comedy.

Influential Figures

• Tio Jose Alberto inspired Rizal to develop his artistic ability.
• Tio Manuel encouraged Rizal to do physical exercises.
• Tio Gregorio, a book lover, fostered Rizal's reading habits.
• Father Leoncio Lopez fostered Rizal's love for scholarship and intellectual honesty.

Early Education

• Doña Teodora Alonso Realonda was Rizal's first teacher.
• Maestro Celestino was Rizal's first private tutor.
• Maestro Lucas Padua was Rizal's second tutor.
• Leon Monroy instructed Jose in Spanish and Latin.

Rizal in Biñan

• In June 1869, Rizal went to Biñan with Paciano.
• Rizal's teacher in Biñan was Maestro Justiniano Aquino Cruz.
• Rizal described Maestro Justiniano as thin, long-necked, with a sharp nose and a body slightly bent forward..
• Rizal was challenged to a fight with Pedro and to arm-wrestling by Andres Salandanan.
• Juancho gave Rizal lessons in drawing and painting.
• Rizal and Jose Guevara became apprentices of Juancho and “the favorite painters of the class.”
• In December 1870, Rizal received a letter informing him a steamer would take him back to Calamba.
• On December 17, 1870, Rizal left Biñan after a year and a half of schooling.
• Arturo Camps took care of Rizal on board.
• In school he was laid out on a bench and given blows because of fighting.

Tragedies in Rizal's Young Life

• Execution of GomBurZa:
  • On January 20, 1872, Filipino soldiers and workmen mutinied in Cavite due to the abolition of their privileges.
  • Fathers Mariano Gomez, Jose Burgos, and Jacinto Zamora were executed on February 17, 1872.
  • The martyrdom of GomBurZa inspired Rizal to fight against Spanish tyranny.
  • Rizal dedicated El Filibusterismo to GomBurZa.
• Injustice to Doña Teodora Alonso Realonda:
  • Before June 1872, Doña Teodora was arrested on a charge of attempting to poison Jose Alberto's wife.
  • Antonio Vivencio del Rosario helped arrest Doña Teodora.
  • She was forced to walk 50 kilometers from Calamba to Santa Cruz.
  • Doña Teodora was imprisoned for two and a half years.
  • Francisco de Marcaida and Manuel Marzan defended Doña Teodora.