José Rizal

José Rizal
Rizal c. 1890s
Born
José Protasio Rizal Mercado y Alonso Realonda[1]

June 19, 1861[2]
Calamba, La Laguna, Captaincy General of the Philippines, Spanish Empire[2]
DiedDecember 30, 1896(1896-12-30) (aged 35)[3]
Bagumbayan, Manila, Captaincy General of the Philippines, Spanish Empire[3]
Cause of deathExecution by firing squad
Resting placeRizal Monument, Manila
Monuments
  • Daet, Camarines Norte
  • Manila
  • Calamba, Laguna
Other namesPepe, Jose (nicknames)[4][5]
Alma mater
  • Ateneo Municipal de Manila (High School)
  • University of Santo Tomas
  • Universidad Central de Madrid (MD)
Organizations
  • La Solidaridad
  • La Liga Filipina
Notable work
MovementPropaganda Movement
Spouse
Josephine Bracken[6]
(m. 1896)
Parents
  • Francisco Rizal Mercado (father)
  • Teodora Alonso Realonda (mother)
Relatives
  • Saturnina Hidalgo (sister)
  • Paciano Rizal (brother)
  • Trinidad Rizal (sister)
Signature

José Protasio Rizal Mercado y Alonso Realonda[7] (Spanish: [xoˈse riˈsal, -ˈθal], Tagalog: [hoˈse ɾiˈsal]; June 19, 1861 – December 30, 1896) was a Filipino nationalist, writer and polymath active at the end of the Spanish colonial period of the Philippines. He is popularly considered a national hero (pambansang bayani) of the Philippines.[8][9] An ophthalmologist by profession, Rizal became a writer and a key member of the Filipino Propaganda Movement, which advocated political reforms for the colony under Spain.

He was executed by the Spanish colonial government for the crime of rebellion after the Philippine Revolution broke out; the revolution was inspired by his writings. Though he was not actively involved in its planning or conduct, he ultimately approved of its goals, which eventually resulted in Philippine independence.

Rizal is widely considered one of the greatest and most influential figures in the Philippines, and has been recommended to be so honored by an officially empaneled National Heroes Committee. However, no law, executive order or proclamation has been enacted or issued officially proclaiming any Filipino historical figure as a national hero.[9] He wrote the novels Noli Me Tángere (1887) and El filibusterismo (1891), which together are taken as a national epic, in addition to numerous poems and essays.[10][11]

  1. ^ Valdez 2007, p. 57
  2. ^ a b Valdez 2007, p. 59
  3. ^ a b Valdez 2007, p. 7
  4. ^ Nery, John (2011). "Revolutionary Spirit: Jose Rizal in Southeast Asia", p. 240. Institute of Southeast Asian Studies, Singapore. ISBN 978-981-4345-06-4.
  5. ^ Fadul 2008, p. 31.
  6. ^ Cite error: The named reference spouse was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  7. ^ Biography and Works of the Philippine Hero. Jose Rizal (June 20, 2014). Retrieved on July 7, 2017.
  8. ^ Szczepanski, Kallie. "Biography of Jose Rizal, National Hero of the Philippines". ThoughtCo. Retrieved October 31, 2019.
  9. ^ a b "Selection and Proclamation of National Heroes and Laws Honoring Filipino Historical Figures" (PDF). Reference and Research Bureau Legislative Research Service, House of Congress. Archived from the original (PDF) on April 19, 2016. Retrieved September 8, 2009.
  10. ^ Zaide, Gregorio F.; Zaide, Sonia M. (1999). Jose Rizal: Life, Works and Writings of a Genius, Writer, Scientist and National Hero. Quezon City: All-Nations Publishing Co., Inc. ISBN 978-971-642-070-8. Archived from the original on September 23, 2013.
  11. ^ "Rizal y Alonso, José Protasio, 1861–1896". Virtual International Authority File (VIAF). Retrieved May 18, 2013.