Jose Rizals Life and Death

Date of Birth: 19 June 1861

Rizal was born in Kalamba, Laguna.
Rizal was of mixed racial origin
Rizals father, Don Francisco Mercado, was born in Bian, Laguna. He studied Latin and philosophy
at the College of San Jose in Manila. Rizal described him as a model of fathers. He was a man of
solid shoulders, strong constitution, rather tall than short, of serious and reflective mien and with
prominent forehead and large dark eyes.
Doa Teodora Alonso, Rizals mother, was born in Meisik, Sta. Cruz, Manila. She came from a
distinguished and talented family. Doa Teodora was a remarkable woman. Rizal always spoke of
her with warmth and admiration: My mother is not a woman of ordinary culture. She knows
literature and speaks Spanish better than I do. She even corrected my poems and gave me wise
advice when I was studying rhetoric. She is a mathematician and has read many books.
Don Francisco and Doa Teodora were blessed with 11 children; two boys and nine girls. They were,
in the order of birth, Saturnina, Paciano, Narcisa, Olimpia, Lucia, Maria, Jose, Concepcion, Josefa,
Trinidad and Soledad
Concepcions Death was what was considered as Rizals first sorrow in his life
Josefa and Trinidad were Rizals sisters who never got married
Paciano, Rizals only brother was 10 years older than him. He was a second father to Jose Rizal. After
the death of Jose, Paciano joined Aguinaldos revolutionary forces and rose to the rank of major
general.
The Rizal family belonged to the principalia, a town aristocracy during the Spanish regime
The Story of the Moth made very significant impressions in Rizals life.
Rizal learned his alphabet at the age of three. As a boy he took avid interest in reading and
literature because the familys extensive library provided him with incentives. He loved to read
books while his mother listened. In addition to reading, he also manifested skills in sculpture,
sketching, and painting.
The first poem Rizal wrote was in his native language, the Sa Aking mga Kabata (To My fellow
Children) It revealed Rizals early nationalist sentiments
Rizals first teacher was his mother
Maestro Celestino on the other hadn was Rizals first private tutor

EDUCATION
Rizal was sent to study in Binan when he was nine years old
He concentrated on his studies assiduously and he excelled in all subjects. Besides taking formal
lessons in Latin and Spanish, Rizal developed his painting skills from a local painter. Later, Rizal
referred to himself as a fashionable painter.
He tookthe entrance examination in San Juan de Letran College. This entitled him for admission in
Ateneo where he graduated highest honors that entitled him to study in any university