IN SUNNY SPAIN (1882-1885)

-After finishing the 4th year of the medical course in the University of Santo Tomas, Rizal
decided to complete his studies in Spain
-Aside from completing his studies in Spain, Rizal has his “secret mission”—was to
observe keenly the life and culture, languages and customs, industries and commerce,
and government and laws of the European nations in order to prepare himself in the
mighty task of liberating his oppressed people from Spanish tyranny
-This Rizalian secret mission was likewise disclosed by Paciano in his letter to his
younger brother dated Manila, May 20, 1892
-Rizal’s departure for Spain was kept secret to avoid detection by the Spanish
authorities and the friars
 Jose Mercado- Rizal used this name; a cousin from Biñan
 May 3, 1882- Rizal departed on board the Spanish streamer Salvadora bound for
Singapore

SINGAPORE
 Donato Lecha- the ship captain from Asturias, Spain befriended Rizal
-Rizal described him as an affable man, “much more refined than his other
countrymen and colleagues that I have met.”
 Rizal played chess with his fellow passengers who were much older than he
 May 8, 1882- while the steamer was approaching Singapore, Rizal saw a beautiful
island, fascinated by its scenic beauty, he remembered ―Talim Island with the Susong
Dalaga”
 May 9, 1882- the Salvadora docked at Singapore
 Hotel de la Paz- Rizal registered here and spent two days on a sightseeing soiree of
the city, which was a colony of England

FROM SINGAPORE TO COLOMBO

 In Singapore, Rizal transferred to another ship Djemnah, a French steamer, which left
Singapore for Europe on May 11, 1882
 May 17, 1882- Djemnah reached Point Galle, a seacoast town in southern Ceylon
(now Sri Lanka)
 Rizal wrote on his travel diary: “The general appearance of Point Galle is
picturesque but lonely and quiet and at the same time sad”
 Colombo- capital of Ceylon
-Rizal was enamoured by Colombo because of its scenic beauty and elegant
buildings
-“Colombo is more beautiful, smart and elegant than Singapore, Point Galle
and Manila”
 For the first time, Rizal sighted the barren coast of Africa, which he called an
“inhospitable land but famous”
 Aden- city hotter than Manila
-Rizal was amused to see the camels, for the first time
 City of Suez- the Red Sea terminal of the Suez Canal
-Rizal was impressed in the beautiful moonlight which reminded him of Calamba
and his family

1
 Suez Canal- canal which built by Ferdinand de Lesseps (French diplomat-engineer)
which was inaugurated on November 17, 1869
 Port Said- the Mediterranean terminal of the Suez Canal

NAPLES AND MARSEILLES

 June 11, 1882- Rizal reached Naples
-Rizal was pleased on this Italian city because of its business activity, its lively
people, and its panoramic beauty
 Night of June 12, 1882- the steamer docked at the French harbor of Marseilles
 Rizal visited the famous Chateau d’If, where Dantes, hero of the Count of Monte
Cristo, was imprisoned
 Rizal stayed two and a half days in Marseilles

BARCELONA
 Afternoon of May 15, 1882- Rizal left Marseilles by train for the last lap of his trip to
Spain
 Rizal crossed the Pyrenees and stopped for a day at the frontier town of Port Bou
 June 16, 1882- Rizal finally reached his destination—Barcelona
 Rizal’s first impression of Barcelona, the greatest city of Cataluña and Spain’s second
largest city, was unfavorable
 Las Ramblas- the most famous street in Barcelona
 Amor Patrio (Love of Country)- nationalistic essay, Rizal’s first article written on
Spain’s soil
-under his pen-name Laong Laan, appeared in print in Diariong Tagalog on
August 20, 1882
-it was published in two texts—Spanish and Tagalog—the Spanish text was the
one originally written by Rizal in Barcelona, the tagalog text was a Tagalog translation
made by M.H. del Pilar
 Basilio Teodoro Moran- a friend of Rizal in Manila and the publisher of Diariong
Tagalog where Rizal sent this article
 Diariong Tagalog- the first Manila bilingual newspaper (Spanish and Tagalog)
 Los Viajes (Travels)- Rizal’s second article for Diariong Tagalog
 Revista de Madrid (Review of Madrid)- Rizal’s third article written in Madrid on
November 29, 1882 but returned to him because the Diariong Tagalog had ceased
publication for lack of funds
 Rizal received sad news about the cholera that was ravaging Manila and the
provinces according to Paciano’s letter, dated September 15, 1882
 Another sad news from the Philippines was the chatty letter of Chengoy recounting the
unhappiness of Leonor Rivera
 In one of his letters (dated May 26, 1882), Paciano advised his younger brother to
finish the medical course in Madrid
 Rizal left Barcelona in the fall of 1882 and established himself in Madrid, the capital of
Spain

2
LIFE IN MADRID
 November 3, 1882- Rizal enrolled in the Universidad Central de Madrid (Central
University of Madrid) in two courses—Medicine and Philosophy and Letters
 Academy of Fine Arts of San Fernando- Rizal studied painting and sculpture
 Rizal’s only extravagance was investing a few pesetas for a lottery ticket in every draw
of the Madrid Lottery
 Rizal spent his leisure time reading and writing at his boarding house, attending the
reunions of Filipino students at the house of the Paterno brothers (Antonio, Maximo and
Pedro) and practicing fencing and shooting at the gymnasium
 Antigua Café de Levante-during the summer twilights, this is where Rizal sipped
coffee and fraternized with the students from Cuba, Mexico, Argentina, etc
 On Saturday evenings, Rizal visited the home of Don Pablo Ortiga y Rey who lived
with his son (Rafael) and daughter (Consuelo)
 Circulo Hispano-Filipino (Hispano-Philippine Circle)- a society of Spaniards and
Filipinos which Rizal joined shortly after his arrival in Madrid in 1882
 Me Piden Versos (They Ask Me For Verses)- upon the request of the members of
this society, Rizal’s wrote this poem which he personally declaimed during the New
Year’s Eve reception of the Madrid Filipinos held in the evening of December 31, 1882
-in this sad poem, Rizal poured out the cry of his agonizing heart
 Rizal economized on his living expenses, and with the money he saved, he purchased
books from a second-hand book store owned by a certain Señor Roses
 Beecher Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin and Eugene Sue’s The Wandering Jew-
these two books aroused Rizal’s sympathy for the oppressed and unfortunate people.
inspired Dr. Rizal to prepare a novel that would depict the miseries of his people under
the lash of Spanish tyrants
FIRST VISIT TO PARIS (1883)
-During his first summer vacation in Madrid, Rizal went to Paris, gay capital of France
-The prices of food, drinks, theatre, tickets, laundry, hotel accommodations, and
transportation were too high for Rizal’s slender purse so that he commented in a letter
to his family: “Paris is the costliest capital in Europe.”
 June 17 to August 20, 1883- Rizal sojourn in Paris
 Hotel de Paris- located on 37 Rue de Maubange wherein Rizal billeted but later, he
moved to a cheaper hotel on 124 Rue de Rennes in the Latin Quarter
 Laennec Hospital- where Rizal observed Dr. Nicaise treating his patients
 Lariboisiere Hospital- where Rizal observed the examination of different diseases of
women
 Rizal was impressed by the way the Spanish Mason openly and freely c riticized the
government policies and lambasted the friars, which could not be done in Philippines
 March 1883- Rizal joined the Masonic lodge called Acacia in Madrid
 Rizal’s reason for becoming a mason was to secure Freemansory’s aid in his fight
against the friars in the Philippines
 Lodge Solidaridad (Madrid) – Rizal transferred where he became a Master Mason
on November 15, 1890
 February 15, 1892- Rizal was awarded the diploma as Master Mason by Le Grand
Orient de France in Paris

3
 Science, Virtue and Labor- Rizal’s only Masonic writing; a lecture which he delivered
in 1889 at Lodge Solidaridad, Madrid
 After Rizal’s departure for Spain, things turned from bad to worse in Calamba: (1)
harvests of rice and sugarcane failed on account of drought and locusts (2) the
manager of the Dominican-owned hacienda increased the rentals of the lands (3) a
dreadful pest killed most of the turkeys. Due to hard times in Calamba, the monthly
allowances of Rizal in Madrid were late in arrival and there were times when they never
arrived
 June 24, 1884- a touching incident in Rizal’s life in Madrid wherein he was broke and
was unable to take breakfast
-Rizal attended his class at the university, participated in the contest in Greek
language and won the gold medal
 Evening of June 25, 1884- a banquet was sponsored by the Filipino community to
celebrate the double victory of the Filipino artist in the National Exposition of Fine Arts in
Madrid—Luna’s Spoliarium winning the first prize and Hidalgo’s Christian Virgins
Exposed to the Populace (Virgenes Cristianas Expuestas al Populacho), second prize
 November 20, 21, and 22, 1884- the serene city of Madrid exploded in bloody riots by
the students of the Central University
 These student demonstrations were caused by the address of Dr. Miguel Morayta,
professor of history, at the opening ceremonies of the academic year on November 20,
in which he proclaimed “the freedom of science and the teacher”
 The Rector, who also took the side of the students, was forced to resign and was
replaced by Doctor Creus, “a very unpopular man, disliked by everybody”
 November 26, 1884- Rizal wrote the recounting tumultuous riots to his family
 June 21, 1884- Rizal completed his medical course in Spain; he was conferred the
degree of Licentiate in Medicine by the Universidad Central de Madrid
 The next academic year (1884-1885), Rizal studied and passed all subjects leading to
the degree of Doctor of Medicine but he did not present the thesis required for
graduation nor paid the corresponding fees, he was not awarded his Doctor’s diploma
 June 19, 1885- on his 24th birthday, Rizal was awarded the degree of Licentiate in
Philosophy and Letters by the Universidad Central de Madrid with the rating of
“Excellent”: (Sobresaliente)
 November 26, 1884- a letter to Rizal’s family written in Madrid wherein he said ―My
doctorate is not of very much value to me… because although it is useful to a university
professor, yet, I believe they (Dominican friars—Z) will never appoint me as such in the
College of Santo Tomas. I say the same thing of philosophy and letters which may
serve also for a professorship, but I doubt if the Dominican fathers will grant it to me.‖

PARIS TO BERLIN (1885-1887)

-Rizal went to Paris and Germany in order to specialize in ophthalmology—Rizal chose
this branch of medicine because he wanted to cure his mother’s eye ailment

IN GAY PARIS (1885-1886)

 Maximo Viola- a medical student and a member of a rich family of San Miguel,
Bulacan, Rizal’s friend

4
 Señor Eusebio Corominas- editor of the newspaper La Publicidad and made a
crayon sketch of Don Miguel Morayta, owner of La Publicidad and a stasman
 Rizal gave Editor Corominas an article on the Carolines Question, then a controversial
issue, for publication
 November 1885, Rizal was living in Paris where he sojourned for about four months
 Dr. Louis de Weckert (1852-1906)- leading French ophthalmologist wherein Rizal
worked as an assistant from November 1885 to February 1886
 Paz Pardo de Tavera- was a pretty girl, who was engaged to Juan Luna
 At the studio of Luna, Rizal spent many happy hours. Rizal helped Luna by posing as
model in several paintings
 In Luna’s canvas “The Death of Cleopatra,“ Rizal posed as an Egyptian priest. In
another of Luna’s great paintings, “The Blood Compact,” he posed as Sikatuna, with
Trinidad Pardo de Tavera taking the role of Legazpi
 November 27, 1878- Rizal told Enrique Lete that he “learned the solfeggio, the
piano, the voice culture in one month and a half”
 By sheer determination and constant practice, Rizal came to play the flute fairly well.
He was a flutist in various impromptu reunions of Filipinos in Paris
 Alin Mang Lahi (Any Race)-a patriotic song written by Rizal which asserts that any
race aspires for freedom
 La Deportacion (Deportation)- a sad danza which Rizal composed in Dapitan during
his exile

IN HISTORIC HEIDELBERG
 February 1, 1886- Rizal reluctantly left gay Paris fro Germany
 February 3, 1886- Rizal arrived in Heidelberg, a historic city in Germany famous for
its old university and romantic surroundings
 Chess Player’s Club- a club wherein the students made Rizal as a member because
of being a good chess player
 Dr. Otto Becker- distinguished German ophthalmologist where Rizal worked—
University Eye Hospital
 April 22, 1886- Rizal wrote a fine poem “A Las Flores de Heidelberg” (To the
Flowers of Heidelberg)
 In the spring of 1886, Rizal was fascinated by the blooming flowers along the cool
banks of the Neckar River. Among them was his favorite flower—the light blue
“forget-me-not”
 Wilhelmsfeld- a mountainous village near Heidelberg where Rizal spent a three-
month summer vacation
 Dr. Karl Ullmer- a kind Protestant pastor where Rizal stayed, who became his good
friend and admirer
 June 25, 1886- Rizal ended his sojourn at Pastor Ullmer’s home
 May 29, 1887- Rizal wrote from Munich (Muchen) to Friedrich (Fritz), son of Pastor
Ullmer
 July 31, 1886- Rizal wrote his first letter in German (which he had improved after his
stay with the Ullmers) to Professor Blumentritt, Director of the Ateneo of Leitmeritz,
Austria

5
 Aritmetica (Arithmetic)-Rizal sent this book he mentioned and was published in two
languages—Spanish and Tagalog—by the University of Santo Tomas Press in 1868.
the author was Rufino Baltazar Hernandez, a native of Santa Cruz, Laguna
 August 6, 1886- the famous University of Heidelberg held its fifth centenary
celebration

IN LEIPZIG AND DRESDEN

 August 9, 1886- Rizal left Heidelberg
 August 14, 1886- boarded by a train. Rizal arrived in Leipzig
 Professor Friedrich Ratzel- a famous German historian, Rizal befriend with him
 Dr. Hans Meyer- German anthropologist, a friend of Rizal
 In Leipzig, Rizal translated Schiller’s William Tell from German into Tagalog so that
Filipino might know the story of that champion of Swiss independence
 Rizal also translated into Tagalog for his nephews and niece Hans Andersen’s Fairy
Tales
 Rizal found out that the cost of living in Leipzig was cheapest in Europe so that he
stayed two months and a half
 Because of his knowledge of German, Spanish, and other European languages, Rizal
worked as proof-reader in a publisher’s firm
 October 29, 1886- Rizal left Leipzig for Dresden where he met Dr. Adolph B. Meyer,
Director of the Anthropological and Ethnological Museum
 Rizal heard Mass in a Catholic church; evidently, this Mass impressed him very much,
for he wrote on his diary: “Truly I have never in my life heard a Mass whose music
had greater sublimity and intonation.”
 Morning of November 1, 1886- Rizal left Dresden by train reaching Berlin in the
evening

BERLIN
 Rizal was enchanted by Berlin because of its scientific atmosphere and the absence
of race prejudice
 Rizal met for the first time Dr. Feodor Jagor, celebrated German scientist-traveler
and author of Travels in the Philippines, a book which Rizal read and admired during his
student days in Manila
 Dr. Rudolf Virchow- introduced to Rizal by Dr. Jagor; famous German anthropologist
 Dr. Hans Virchow- son of Dr. Rudolf Virchow, professor of Descriptive Anatomy
 Dr. W. Joest- noted German geographer
 Dr. Ernest Schweigger (1830-1905)- famous German ophthalmologist where Rizal
worked
 Rizal became a member of the Anthropological Society, the Ethnological Society, and
the Geographical Society of Berlin, upon the recommendation of Dr. Jagor and Dr.
Meyer
 Tagalische Verkunst (Tagalog Metrical Art)- Rizal wrote this scholarly paper in
German which he read before the society in April 1887
-this paper was published by the society in the same year, and elicited favorable
comments from all scientific quarters

6
 Rizal lived in Berlin, famous capital of unified Germany for five reasons: (1) to gain
further knowledge of ophthalmology (2) to further his studies of sciences and languages
(3) to observe the economic and political conditions of the German nation (4) to
associate with famous German scientists and scholars (5) to publish his novel, Noli Me
Tangere
 Madame Lucie Cerdole-Rizal’s professor of French in order to master the idiomatic
intricacies of the French language
 Unter den Linden- the most popular boulevard of Berlin wherein Rizal enjoyed
promenading, sipping beer in the city’s inns and talking with the friendly Berliners
 March 11, 1886- one of Rizal’s important letters written while he was in Germany that
addressed to his sister, Trinidad
-in this letter, Rizal expressed his high regard and admiration for German
womanhood
-The German woman, said Rizal to his sister, is serious, diligent, educated, and
friendly. She is not gossipy, frivolous and quarrelsome
 Aside from the German women, Rizal admired the German customs which he
observed well

NOLI ME TANGERE PUBLISHED IN BERLIN (1887)

-The bleak winter of 1886 in Berlin was Rizal’s darkest winter because no money
arrived from Calamba and he was flat broke. The diamond ring which his sister,
Saturnina, gave him was in the pawnshop. It was memorable in the life of Rizal for two
reasons (1) it was a painful episode for he was hungry, sick and despondent in a
strange city (2) it brought him great joy after enduring so much sufferings, because his
first novel, Noli Me Tangere came off the press in March, 1887

 Harriet Beecher Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin- inspired Dr. Rizal to prepare a novel
that would depict the miseries of his people under the lash of Spanish tyrants
 January 2, 1884- in a reunion of Filipinos in the Paterno residence in Madrid, Rizal
proposed the writings of a novel about the Philippines by a group of Filipinos
 Toward the end of 1884, Rizal began writing the novel in Madrid and finished about
one-half of it
 When Rizal went to Paris, in 1885, after completing his studies in the Central
University of Madrid, he continued writing the novel, finishing one half of the second half
 Rizal finished the last fourth of the novel in Germany. He wrote the last few chapters
of the Noli in Wilhelmsfeld in April-June, 1886
 In Berlin during the winter days of February, 1886, Rizal made the final revisions on
the manuscript of the Noli
 Maximo Viola- Rizal’s friend from Bulacan, arrived in Berlin at the height of Rizal
despondency and loaned him the needed funds to publish the novel; savior of Noli
 After the Christmas season, Rizal put the finishing touches on his novel. To save
printing expenses, he deleted certain passages in his manuscript, including a whole
chapter—“Elias and Salome”
 February 21, 1887- the Noli was finally finished and ready for printing
 Berliner Buchdruckrei-Action-Gesselschaft- a printing shop which charged the
lowest rate, that is, 300 pesos for 2,00 copies of the novel

7
 March 21, 1887- the Noli Me Tangere came off the press
 March 29, 1887- Rizal, in token of his appreciation and gratitude, gave Viola the
galley proofs of the Noli carefully rolled around the pen that he used in writing it and a
complimentary copy, with the following inscription: “To my dear friend, Maximo Viola,
the first to read and appreciate my work—Jose Rizal”
 The title Noli Me Tangere is a Latin phrase which means “Touch Me Not”. It is not
originally conceived by Rizal, for he admitted taking it from the Bible
 Rizal, writing to Felix Hidalgo in French on March 5, 1887, said: ―Noli Me Tangere,
words taken from the Gospel of St. Luke, signify ―do not touch me‖ but Rizal made a
mistake, it should be the Gospel of St. John (Chapter 20 Verses 13 to 17)
 Rizal dedicated his Noli Me Tangere to the Philippines—“To My Fatherland”
 Dr. Antonio Ma. Regidor- Filipino patriot and lawyer who had been exiled due to his
complicity in the Cavite Mutiny of 1872, read avidly the Noli and was very much
impressed by its author

RIZAL’S GRAND TOUR OF EUROPE WITH VIOLA (1887)

 May 11, 1887- Rizal and Viola left Berlin by train
 Dresden- one of the best cities in Germany
 Prometheus Bound-painting wherein Rizal was deeply impressed
 Teschen (now Decin, Czechoslovakia)- next stopover after leaving Dresedn

LEITMERITZ
 At 1:30pm of May 13, 1887- the train, with Rizal and Viola on board, arrived at the
railroad station of Leitmeritz, Bohemia -for the first time, the two great scholars—Rizal
and Blumentritt—met in person
 Professor Blumentritt- a kind-hearted, old Austrian professor
 May 13 to May 16, 1887- Rizal and Viola stayed in Leitmeritz
 Burgomaster- town mayor
 Tourist’s Club of Leitmeritz-which Blumentritt was the secretary; Rizal spoke
extemporaneously in fluent Germany to the officers and members
 Dr. Carlos Czepelak- renowned scientist of Europe
 Professor Robert Klutschak- an eminent naturalist
 May 16, 1887 at 9:45 AM- Rizal and Viola left Leitmeritz by train

PRAGUE
 Dr. Willkomm- professor of natural history in the University of Prague
 According to Viola, “nothing of importance happened” in this city

VIENNA
 May 20, 1887- Rizal and Viola arrived in the beautiful city of Vienna, capital of Austria-
Hungary
 Vienna was truly the “Queen of Danube” because of its beautiful buildings, religious
images, haunting waltzes and majestic charm
 Norfentals- one of the greatest Austrian novelists was favorably impressed by Rizal,
and years later he spoke highly of Rizal, “whose genius he so much admired.”

8
 Hotel Metropole- where Rizal and Viola stayed
 In Vienna, Rizal received his lost diamond stickpin

DANUBIAN VOYAGE TO LINTZ

 May 24, 1887- Rizal and Viola left Vienna on a river boat to see the beautiful sights of
the Danube River
 Rizal particularly noticed that the passengers on the river boat were using paper
napkins during the meals, which was a novelty to him. Viola, commented that the paper
napkins were “more hygienic and economical than cloth napkins”

FROM LINTZ TO RHEINFALL

 Munich- where Rizal and Viola sojourned for a short time to savor the famous Munich
beer, reputed to be the best in Germany
 Nuremberg- one of the oldest cities of Germany
 The Cathedral of Ulm- the largest and tallest cathedral in all Germany
 From Ulm, they went to Stuttgart, Baden and then Rheinfall (Cascade of the Rhine). At
Rheinfall, they saw the waterfall, “the most beautiful waterfall of Europe”

CROSSING THE FRONTIER TO SWITZERLAND

 June 2 to 3, 1887- stayed at Schaffhausen, Switzerland

GENEVA
 This Swiss city is one of the most beautiful cities in Europe, visited by world tourists
every year
 June 19, 1887- Rizal treated Viola to a blow-out. It was his 26th birthday
 Rizal and Viola spent fifteen delightful days in Geneva
 June 23, 1887- Viola and Rizal parted ways—Viola returned to Barcelona while Rizal
continued the tour to Italy
 Exposition of the Philippines in Madrid, Spain- Rizal was outraged by this
degradation of his fellow countrymen the Igorots of Northern Luzon

RIZAL IN ITALY
 June 27, 1887- Rizal reached Rome, the “Eternal City‖ and also called the “City of
the Caesars”
 Rizal was thrilled by the sights and memories of the Eternal City. Describing to
Blumentritt, the “grandeur that was Rome”, he wrote on June 27, 1887
 June 29, 1887- the Feast Day of St. Peter and St. Paul, Rizal visited for the first time
the Vatican, the “City of the Popes” and the capital of Christendom
 Every night, after sightseeing the whole day, Rizal returned to his hotel, very tired. “I
am tired as a dog,” he wrote to Blumentritt, “but I will sleep as a God”
 After a week of wonderful sojourn in Rome, Rizal prepared to return to the Philippines.
He had already written to his father that he was coming home

9
FIRST HOMECOMING (1887-1888)
-Because of the publication of the Noli Me Tangere and the uproar it caused among the
friars, Rizal was warned by Paciano (his brother), Silvestre Ubaldo (his brother-in-law),
Chengoy (Jose M. Cecilio) and other friends not to return home.
-Rizal was determined to return to the Philippines for the following reasons: (1) to
operate on his mother’s eyes (2) to serve his people who had long been oppressed by
Spanish tyrants (3) to find out for himself how Noli and his other writings were affecting
Filipinos and Spaniards in the Philippines and (4) to inquire why Leonor Rivera
remained silent
 July 29, 1887- Rizal wrote to his father, announcing his homecoming, “on the 15th of
July, I shall embark for our country, so that from the 15 th to the 30th of August, we
shall see each other”

DELIGHTFUL TRIP TO MANILA

-Rizal left Rome by train for Marseilles, a French port, which he reached without
mishap.
 July 3, 1887-Rizal boarded the steamer Djemnah, the same streamer which brought
him to Europe 5 years ago
 July 30, 1887-at Saigon, Rizal transferred to another steamer, Haiphong, which was
Manila-bounded
 August 2, 1887- the steamer left Saigon for Manila

ARRIVAL IN MANILA
 August 3, 1887- the moon was full and Rizal slept soundly the whole night. The calm
sea, illuminated by the silvery moonlight, was a magnificent sight to him
 Near midnight of August 5, 1887, the Haiphong arrived in Manila

HAPPY HOMECOMING
 August 8, 1887- Rizal returned to Calamba
 In Calamba, Rizal established a medical clinic. His first patient was his mother, who
was almost blind.
 Rizal, who came to be called “Doctor Uliman” because he came from Germany,
treated their ailments and soon he acquired a lucrative medical practice
 Rizal opened a gymnasium for young folks, where he introduced European sports
 Rizal suffered one failure during his six months of sojourn in Calamba—his failure to
see Leonor Rivera

STORM OVER THE NOLI

 Governor General Emilio Terrero (1885-1888)-requesting Rizal to come to
Malacańang Palace
 Don Jose Taviel de Andrade-a young Spanish lieutenant assigned by Governor
General Terrero to posed as bodyguard of Rizal
 Msgr. Pedro Payo (a Dominican)- sent a copy of Noli to Father Rector Gregorio
Echavarria of the University of Sto. Tomas for examination by a committee of the
faculty

10
 The report of the faculty members of University of Santo Tomas stated that the Noli
was “heretical, impious, and scandalous in the religious order and anti-patriotic,
subversive of public order, injurious to the government of Spain and its function
in the Philippine Islands in the political order”
 Permanent Commission of Censorship-a committee composed of priest and
laymen
 Fr. Salvador Font- Augustinian cura of Tondo, head of the committee
-found the novel to contain subversive ideas against the Church and Spain, and
recommended “that the importation, reproduction, and circulation of this
pernicious book in the islands be absolutely prohibited.”
 Fr. Jose Rodriguez- Augustinian priest, published a series of eight pamphlets under
the general heading Cuestiones de Sumo Interes (Questions of Supreme Interest)
to blast the Noli and other anti-Spanish writings
 Vicente Barrantes- Spanish academician of Madrid, who formerly criticized the Noli in
an article published in La Espańa Moderna (a newspaper of Madrid) in January, 1890
 What marred Rizal’s happy days in Calamba with Lt. Andrade were (1) the death of
his older sister, Olimpia, and (2) the groundless tales circulated by his enemies that he
was “a German spy, an agent of Bismarck, a Protestant, a Mason, a witch, a soul
beyond salvation, etc.”
 Rev. Vicente Garcia-a Filipino Catholic priest-scholar, a theologian of the Manila
Cathedral and a Tagalog translator of the famous Imitation of Christ by Thomas A.
Kempis
-writing under the penname Justo Desiderio Magalang, wrote a defense of the
Noli which was published in Singapore as an appendix to a pamphlet dated July 18,
1888, he blasted the arguments of Fr. Rodriguez
 Rizal, himself defended his novel against Barrantes’ attack, in a letter written in
Brussels, Belgium in February 1880.

FAREWELL TO CALAMBA
 The friars asked Governor General Terrero to deport him, but latter refused because
there was no valid charge against Rizal in court.
 Rizal was compelled to leave Calamba for two reasons: (1) his presence in Calamba
was jeopardizing the safety and happiness of his family and friends (2) he could fight
better his enemies and serve his country’s cause with greater efficacy by writing in
foreign countries
 Shortly before Rizal left Calamba in 1888, his friend from Lipa requested him to write a
poem in commemoration of the town’s elevation to a villa (city) by virtue of the Becerra
Law of 1888
 Himno Al Trabajo (Hymn to Labor)- a poem written by Rizal dedicated to the
industrious folks of Lipa

IN HONGKONG AND MACAO (1888)

-Hounded by powerful enemies, Rizal was forced to leave his country for a second time
in February 1888. He was then a full-grown man of 27 years of age, a practicing
physician, and a recognized man-of-letters

11
THE TRIP TO HONGKONG
 February 3, 1888-Rizal left Manila for Hong Kong on board the Zafiro
 February 7, 1888- Zafiro made a brief stopover at Amoy
 Rizal did not get off his ship at Amoy for three reasons: (1) he was not feeling well (2)
it was raining hard (3) he heard that the city was dirty
 February 8, 1888- Rizal arrived in Hong Kong
 Victoria Hotel- Rizal stayed while in Hong Kong. He was welcomed by Filipino
residents, including Jose Maria Basa, Balbino Mauricio, and Manuel Yriarte (son of
Francisco Yriarte (son of Francisco Yriarte, alcalde mayor of Laguna)
 Jose Sainz de Varanda- a Spaniard, who was a former secretary of Governor
General Terrero, shadowed Rizal’s movement in Hong Kong
-it is believed that he was commissioned by the Spanish authorities to spy on
Rizal
 “Hong Kong”, wrote Rizal to Blumentritt on February 16, 1888, “is a small, but very
clean city.”

VISIT TO MACAO
-Macao is a Portuguese colony near Hong Kong.
-According to Rizal, the city of Macao is small, low, and gloomy. There are many
junks, sampans, but few steamers. It looks sad and is almost dead.
 February 18, 1888- Rizal, accompanied by Basa, boarded the ferry steamer, Kiu-
Kiang for Macao
 Don Juan Francisco Lecaros- A filipino gentleman married to a Portuguese lady
-Rizal and Basa stayed at his home while in Macao
 February 18, 1888- Rizal witnessed a Catholic possession, in which the devotees
were dressed in blue and purple dresses and were carrying unlighted candles
 February 20, 1888- Rizal and Basa returned to Hong Kong, again on board the ferry
steamer Kiu Kiang

DEPARTURE FROM HONG KONG

 February 22, 1888- Rizal left Hong Kong on board the Oceanic, an American
steamer, his destination was Japan
 Rizal’s cabin mate was a British Protestant missionary who called Rizal “a good
man”

ROMANTIC INTERLUDE IN JAPAN (1888)

-One of the happiest interludes in the life of Rizal was his sojourn in the Land of the
Cherry Blossoms for one month and a half (February 28-April 13, 1888)

 February 28, 1888- early in the morning of Tuesday, Rizal arrived in Yokohama. He
registered at the Grand Hotel
 Tokyo Hotel- Rizal stayed here from March 2 to March 7
 Rizal wrote to Professor Blumentritt: “Tokyo is more expensive then Paris. The
walls are built in cyclopean manner. The streets are large and wide.”

12
 Juan Perez Caballero-secretary of the Spanish Legation, who visited Rizal at his
hotel who latter invited him to live at the Spanish Legation
 Rizal accepted the invitation for two reasons: (1) he could economize his living
expenses by staying at the legation (2) he had nothing to hide from the prying eyes of
the Spanish authorities
 March 7, 1888- Rizal checked out of Tokyo Hotel and lived at the Spanish Legation
 Rizal was favorably impressed by Japan. The things which favorably impressed Rizal
in Japan were: (1) the beauty of the country—its flowers, mountains, streams and
scenic panoramas, (2) the cleanliness, politeness, and industry of the Japanese people
(3)the picturesque dress and simple charm of the Japanese women (4) there were very
few thieves in Japan so that the houses remained open day and night, and in hotel
room one could safely leave money on the table (5) beggars were rarely seen in the
city, streets, unlike in Manila and other cities
 Rickshaws-popular mode of transportation drawn by men that Rizal did not like in
Japan
 April 13, 1888-Rizal left Japan and boarded the Belgic, an English steamer, at
Yokohama, bound for the United States
 Tetcho Suehiro- a fighting Japanese journalist, novelist and champion of human
rights, who was forced by the Japanese government to leave the country
-passenger which Rizal befriended on board the Belgic
 April 13 to December 1, 1888- eight months of intimate acquaintanceship of Rizal
and Tetcho
 December 1, 1888- after a last warm handshake and bidding each other ―goodbye‖,
Rizal and Tetcho parted ways—never to meet again

RIZAL’S VISIT TO THE UNITED STATES (1888)

 April 28, 1888- the steamer Belgic, with Rizal on board, docked at San Francisco on
Saturday morning
 May 4, 1888- Friday afternoon, the day Rizal was permitted to go ashore
 Palace Hotel- Rizal registered here which was then considered a first-class hotel in
the city
 Rizal stayed in San Francisco for two days—May 4 to 6, 1888
 May 6, 1888-Sunday, 4:30PM, Rizal left San Francisco for Oakland
 May 13, 1888-Sunday morning, Rizal reached New York, thus ending his trip across
the American continent
 Rizal stayed three days in this city, which he called the “big town.”
 May 16, 1888- Rizal left New York for Liverpool on board the City of Rome. According
to Rizal, this steamer was “the second largest ship in the world, the largest being
the Great Eastern”
 Rizal had good and bad impressions of the United States. The good impressions were
(1) the material progress of the country as shown in the great cities, huge farms,
flourishing industries and busy factories (2) the drive and energy of the American people
(3) the natural beauty of the land (4) the high standard of living (5) the opportunities for
better life offered to poor immigrants

13
 One bad impression Rizal had of America was the lack of racial equality: “America is
the land par excellence of freedom but only for the whites”

RIZAL IN LONDON (1888-1889)

-After visiting the United States, Rizal lived in London from May, 1888 to March, 1889
for three reasons: (1) to improve his knowledge of the English language (2) to study and
annotate Morga’s Sucesos de las Islas Filipinas, a rare copy of which he heard to be
available in the British Museum (3) London was a safe place for him to carry on his fight
against Spanish tyranny

TRIP ACROSS THE ATLANTIC

 The trans-Atlantic voyage of Rizal from New York to Liverpool was a pleasant one.
 Rizal entertained the American and European passengers with his marvelous skills
with the yo-yo as an offensive weapon.
 Yoyo-is a small wooden disc attached to a string from the finger.
 May 24, 1888-Rizal arrived at Liverpool, England
 Adelphi Hotel-Rizal spend the night here while staying for one day in this port city
 According to Rizal, “Liverpool is a big and beautiful city and its celebrated port is
worthy of its great fame. The entrance is magnificent and the customhouse is
quite good.”

LIFE IN LONDON
 May 25, 1888- a day after docking at Liverpool, Rizal went to London
 Rizal stayed as guest at the home of Dr. Antonio Ma. Regidor, an exile of 1872 and
a practicing lawyer in London. By the end of May, Rizal found a modest boarding place
at No. 37 Chalcot Crescent, Primrose Hill
 Dr. Reinhold Rozt- librarian of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and an authority on
Malayan languages and customs
-He was impressed by Rizal’s learning and character and he gladly
recommended him to the authorities of the British Museum. He called Rizal “a pearl of
a man” (una perla de hombre)
 Both good and bad news from home reached Rizal in London. Of the bad news, were
the injustices committed by the Spanish authorities on the Filipino people and the Rizal
Family
 The greatest achievement of Rizal in London was the annotating of Morga’s book,
Sucesos de las Islas Filipinas (Historical Events of the Philippine Islands), which
was published in Mexico, 1609.
 September 1888- Rizal visited Paris for a week in order to search for more historical
materials in the Bibliotheque Nationale
 Rizal was entertained in this gay French metropolis by Juan Luna and his wife (Pas
Pardo de Tavera), who proudly showed him their little son Andres (nickname Luling)
 December 11, 1888-Rizal went to Spain, visiting Madrid and Barcelona
 Rizal met, for the first time, Marcelo H. del Pilar and Mariano Ponce, two titans of the
Propaganda Movement

14
 December 24, 1888-Rizal returned to London and spent Christmas and New Year’s
Day with the Becketts
 Rizal sent as Christmas gift to Blumentritt a bust of Emperador Augustus and a bust of
Julius Caesar to another friend, Dr. Carlos Czepelak (Polish scholar)
 The Life and Adventures of Valentine Vox, the Ventriloquist-a Christmas gift from
Rizal’s landlady, Mrs Beckett

RIZAL BECOMES LEADER OF FILIPINOS IN EUROPE

 Asociacion La Solidaridad (Solidaridad Association)- a patriotic society, which
cooperate in the crusade fro reforms, was inaugurated on December 31, 1888, with the
following officers: Galicano Apacible (president); Graciano Lopez Jaena (vice-
president); Manuel Santa Maria (secretary); Mariano Ponce (treasurer) and Jose Ma.
Panganiban (accountant)
 By unanimous vote of all members, Rizal was chosen honorary president
 January 28, 1889- Rizal wrote a letter addressed to the members of the Asociacion
La Solidaridad

RIZAL AND THE LA SOLIDARIDAD NEWSPAPER

 February 15, 1889- Graciano Lopez Jaena founded the patriotic newspaper called La
Solidaridad in Barcelona
 La Solidadridad-fortnightly periodical which served as the organ of the Propaganda
Movement
 Its aims were as follows: (1) to work peacefully for political and social reforms (2) to
portray the deplorable conditions of the Philippines so that Spain may remedy them (3)
to oppose the evil forces of reaction and medievalism (4) to advocate liberal ideas and
progress (5) to champion the legitimate aspirations of the Filipino people to life,
democracy and happiness
 Los Agricultores Filipinos (The Filipino Farmers)- Rizal’s first article which
appeared in La Solidaridad which is published on March 25, 1889, six days after he left
London for Paris

 Simultaneous with Rizal retirement from the Propaganda Movement, Rizal ceased
writing articles for La Solidaridad
 August 7, 1891- M.H. del Pilar wrote to Rizal begging forgiveness for any resentment
and requesting Rizal to resume writing for the La Solidaridad
 Rizal stopped writing for La Solidaridad, it was because of several reasons: (1) Rizal
need to work on his book (2) He wanted other Filipinos to work also (3) Rizal considered
it very important to the party that there be unity in the work (4) Marcelo H. del Pilar is
already at the top and Rizal also have his own ideas, it is better to leave del Pilar alone
to direct the policy

WRITINGS IN LONDON
 While busy in research studies at the British Museum, Rizal received news on Fray
Rodriguez’ unabated attack on his Noli

15
 La Vision del Fray Rodriguez (The Vision of Fray Rodriguez)-pamphlet wrote by
Rizal which published in Barcelona under his nom-de-plume Dimas Alang in order to
defense his novel
-In La Vision del Fray Rodriguez, Rizal demonstrated two things: (1) his profound
knowledge of religion (2) his biting satire
 Letter to the Young Women of Malolos- a famous letter wrote by Rizal on February
22, 1889 in Tagalog
-this letter is to praise the young ladies of Malolos for their courage to establish a
school where they could learn Spanish, despite the opposition of Fr. Felipe Garcia, a
Spanish parish priest of Malolos
 The main points of this letter were: (1) a Filipino mother should teach her children love
of God, fatherland, and mankind (2) the Filipino mother should be glad, like the Spartan
mother, to offer her sons in the defense of the fatherland (3) a Filipino woman should
know how to preserve her dignity and honor (4) a Filipino woman should educate
herself, aside from retaining her good racial virtues (5) Faith is not merely reciting long
prayers and wearing religious pictures, but rather it is living the real Christian way, with
good morals and good manners
 Dr Reinhold Rost, editor of Trubner’s Record, a journal devoted to Asian studies,
request Rizal to contribute some articles. In response to his request, the latter prepared
two articles—(1) Specimens of Tagal Folklore, which published in the journal in May,
1889 (2) Two Eastern Fables, published in June, 1889
 March 19, 1889- Rizal bade goodbye to the kind Beckett Family and left London for
Paris

RIZAL’S SECOND SOJOURN IN PARIS AND THE UNIVERSAL EXPOSITION IN

1889
-In March, 1889, it was extremely difficult for a visitor to find living quarters in Paris

 Valentin Ventura- a friend of Rizal where he lived—No. 45 Rue Maubeuge, where he

polished his annotated edition of Morga’s book
 Rizal used most of his time in the reading room of the Bibliotheque Nationale (National
Library) checking up his historical annotations on Morga’s book
 Rizal was a good friend of the three Pardo de Taveras—Dr. Trinidad H. Pardo de
Tavera, a physician by vocation and philologist by avocation, Dr. Felix Pardo de Tavera,
also physician by vocation and an artist and sculptor by avocation, and Paz Pardo de
Tavera, wife of Juan Luna
 June 24, 1889- a baby girl was born to Juan Luna and Paz Pardo de Tavera, she was
their second child
 Her baptismal godfather was Rizal, who chose her name ―Maria de la Paz, Blanca,
Laureana, Hermenegilda Juana Luna y Pardo de Tavera‖
 May 6, 1889- opening of Universal Exposition of Paris
 The greatest attraction of this exposition was the Eiffel Tower, 984 feet high, which
was built by Alexander Eiffel, celebrated French engineer

16
KIDLAT CLUB
 March 19, 1889-the same day when he arrived in Paris from London, Rizal organized
his paisanos (compatriots) into a society called Kidlat Club
 Kidlat Club-purely a social society of a temporary nature
-founded by Rizal simply to bring together young Filipinos in the French capital
so that they could enjoy their sojourn in the city during the duration of the Universal
Exposition

INDIOS BRAVOS
 Rizal was enchanted by the dignified and proud bearing of the American Indians in a
Buffalo Bull show
 Indios Bravos (Brave Indians)- replaced the ephemeral Kidlat Club
-its members pledged to excel in intellectual and physical prowess in order to win
the admiration of the foreigners
-practised with great enthusiasm the use of the sword and pistol and Rizal taught
them judo, an Asian art of self-defense, that he learned in Japan

R.D.L.M SOCIETY
 Sociedad R.D.L.M. (R.D.L.M Society)- a mysterious society founded by Rizal in Paris
during the Universal Exposition of 1889
-its existence and role in the crusade reforms are really enigmatic
-Of numerous letters written by Rizal and his fellow propagandists, only two
mentioned this secret society, as follows (1) Rizal’s Letter to Jose Maria Basa, Paris,
September 21, 1889 (2) Rizal’s Letter to Marcelo H. del Pilar, Paris, November 4, 1889
 According to Dr. Leoncio Lopez-Rizal, grandnephew of the hero, the society has a
symbol or countersign represented by a circle divided into three parts by two semi-
circles having in the center the intwerlocked letters I and B meaning Indios Bravos and
the letter R.D.L.M. placed outside an upper, lower, left and right sides of the circle
 The letters R.D.L.M. are believed to be the initials of the society’s secret name
Redencion de los Malayos (Redemption of the Malays)—Redemption of the Malay
Race
 It was patterned after Freemasonry. It had various degrees of membership, “with the
members not knowing each other.”
 The aim of the secret society, as stated by Rizal, was “the propagation of all useful
knowledge—scientific, artistic, and literary, etc.—in the Philippines. Evidently, there was
another aim that is, the redemption of the Malay race
 It must be noted that Rizal was inspired by a famous book entitled Max Havelaar
(1860) written by Multatuli (pseudonym of E.D. Dekker, Dutch author)

ANNOTATED EDITION OF MORGA PUBLISHED

 Rizal’s outstanding achievement in Paris was the publication in 1890 of his annotated
edition of Morga’s Sucesos, which he wrote in the British Museum. It was printed by
Garnier Freres. The prologue was written by Professor Blumentritt upon the request of
Rizal
 Rizal dedicated his new edition of Morga to the Filipino people so that they would
know of their glorious past

17
 The title page of Rizal’s annotated edition of Morga reads: ―Paris, Liberia de Garnier
Hermanos, 1890‖
 The Philippines Within a Century-article written by Rizal which he expressed his
views on the Spanish colonization in the Philippines and predicted with amazing
accuracy the tragic end of Spain’s sovereignty in Asia
 The Indolence of the Filipinos- other essay of Rizal is also a prestigious work of
historical scholarship. It is an able defense of the alleged indolence of the Filipinos
-Rizal made a critical study of the causes why his people did not work hard
during the Spanish regime. His main thesis was that the Filipinos are not by nature
indolent
 International Association of Filipinologists-association proposed by Rizal to
establish taking advantage of world attention which was then focused at the Universal
Exposition in 1889 in Paris and have its inaugural convention in the French capital
 Project for Filipino College in Hong Kong- another magnificent project of Rizal in
Paris which also fizzled out was his plan to establish a modern college in Hong Kong
 Por Telefono-another satirical work as a reply to another slanderer, Fr. Salvador
Font, who masterminded the banning of his Noli, in the fall of 1889
-it was published in booklet form in Barcelona, 1889, this satirical pamphlet under
the authorship of “Dimas Alang” is a witty satire which ridicules Father Font
 Shortly after New Year, Rizal made a brief visit to London. It may be due to two
reasons: (1) to check up his annotated edition of Morga’s Sucesos with the original copy
in the British Museum (2) to see Gertrude Beckett for the last time

IN BELGIAN BRUSSELS (1890)

-January 28, 1890- Rizal left Paris for Brussels, capital of Belgium
-Two reasons impelled Rizal to leave Paris, namely (1) the cost of living in Paris was
very high because of the Universal Exposition (2) the gay social life of the city
hampered his literary works, especially the writing of his second novel, El Filibusterismo

LIFE IN BRUSSELS
 Rizal was accompanied by Jose Albert when he moved to Brussels. They lived in a
modest boarding house on 38 Rue Philippe Champagne, which was run by two Jacoby
sisters (Suzanne and Marie). Later Albert, left the city and was replaced by Jose
Alejandro, an engineering student
 Rizal was the first to advocate the Filipinization of its orthography
 Sobre la Nueva Ortografia de la Lengua Tagala (The New Orthography of the
Tagalog Language)-was published in La Solidaridad on April 15, 1890
-in this article, he laid down the rules of the new Tagalog orthography and with
modesty and sincerity, he gave credit for the adoption of this new orthography to Dr.
Trinidad H. Pardo de Tavera, author of the celebrated work El Sanscrito en la Lengua
Tagala (Sanskrit in the tagalog Language) which was published in Paris, 1884
** ―I put this on record,‖ wrote Rizal, ―so that when the history of this orthography is
traced, which is already being adopted by the enlightened Tagalists, that what is
Caesar’s be given to Caesar. This innovation is due solely to Dr. Pardo de Tavera’s
studies on Tagalismo. I was one of its zealous propagandists.‖**

18
 Letters from home which Rizal received in Brussels worried him. (1) the Calamba
agrarian trouble was getting worse (2) the Dominican Order filed a suit in court to
dispossess the Rizal family of their lands in Calamba
 In his moment of despair, Rizal had bad dreams during the nights in Brussels when he
was restless because he was always thinking of his unhappy family in Calamba
 Rizal feared that he would not live long. He was not afraid to die, but he wanted to
finish his second novel before he went to his grave.
 In the face of the sufferings which afflicted his family, Rizal planned to go home. He
could not stay in Brussels writing a book while his parents, relatives, and friends in the
distant Philippines were persecuted
 July 29, 1890- another letter to Ponce written at Brussels by Rizal, he announced that
he was leaving Brussels at the beginning of the following month and would arrive in
Madrid about the 3rd or 4th (August)
 “To my Muse’” (A Mi…)- 1890, Rizal wrote this pathetic poem, it was against a
background of mental anguish in Brussels, during those sad days when he was worried
by family disasters

MISFORTUNES IN MADRID (1890-91)

-Early in August, 1890, Rizal arrived in Madrid
-Upon arrival in Madrid, Rizal immediately sought help of the Filipino colony, The
Asociacion Hispano-Filipina, and the liberal Spanish newspaper in securing justice for
the oppressed Calamba tenants

 El Resumen- a Madrid newspaper which sympathized with the Filipino cause, said:
“To cover the ear, open the purse, and fold the arms—this is the Spanish colonial
policy
 La Epoca- an anti-Filipino newspaper in Madrid

1. Jose Ma. Panganiban, his talented co-worker in the Propaganda Movement,

died in Barcelona on August 19, 1890, after a lingering illness
2. Aborted Duel with Antonio Luna—Luna was bitter because of his frustrated
romance with Nellie Boustead. Deep in his heart, he was blaming Rizal for his failure
to win her, although Rizal had previously explained to him that he had nothing to do
about it. Luna uttered certain unsavory remarks about Nellie, Rizal heard him and
angered by the slanderous remarks, he challenged Luna, his friend, to a duel.
Fortunately, Luna realized that he had made a fool of himself during his drunken state,
he apologized for his bad remarks about the girl and Rizal accepted his apology and
they became good friends again
3. Rizal challenges Retana to Duel—Wenceslao E. Retana, his bitter enemy of the
pen, a talented Spanish scholar, was then a press agent of the friars in Spain. He
used to attack the Filipinos in various newspapers in Madrid and other cities in Spain.
Retana wrote an article in La Epoca, asserting that the family and friends of Rizal had
not paid their rents so they were ejected from their lands in Calamba by the
Dominicans. Such as insult stirred Rizal to action, immediately he sent his seconds to
Retana with his challenge to a duel

19
 4. Infidelity of Leonor Rivera—Rizal received a letter from Leonor, announcing her
coming marriage to an Englishman (the choice of her mother) and asking his
forgivefess
5. Rizal-Del Pilar Rivalry—toward the closing days of 1890 phere arose an
unfortunate rivalry between Rizal and M.H. del Pilar for supremacy. Because of this,
the Filipinos were divided ibto two hostile camps—the Rizalistas and the Pilaristas.
The sitqation was becoming explosive and critical. Despite of winning the votes, Rizal
graciously declined the coveted position
 Rizal wrote a brief note thanking his compatriots for electing him as Responsible. It
was the last time he saw Madrid

BIARRITZ VACATION
-To seek solace for his disappointments in Madrid, Rizal took a vacation in the resort
city of Biarritz on the fabulous French Riviera. He was a guest of the rich Boustead
family at its winter residence—Villa Eliada

 February, 1891- Rizal arrived in Biarritz

 Frustrated in romance, Rizal found consolation in writing. Evidently, while wooing
Nellie and enjoying so “many magnificent moonlight nights” with her, he kept
working on his second novel which he began to write in Calamba 1887
 March 29, 1891- the eve of his departure from Biarritz to Paris, he finished the
manuscript of El Filibusterismo
 March 30, 1891-Rizal bade farewell to the hospitable and friendly Bousteads and
proceeded to Paris by train
 April 4, 1891-Rizal wrote to his friend, Jose Ma. Basa, in Hong Kong from Paris,
expressing his desire to go to that British colony and practice ophthalmology in order to
earn his living
 Middle of April, 1891- Rizal was back in Brussels
 Since abdicating his leadership in Madrid in January, 1891, owing to the intrigues of
his jealous compatriots, Rizal retired from the Propaganda Movement or reform crusade
 May 1, 1891-Rizal notified the Propaganda authorities in Manila to cancel his monthly
allowance and devote the money to some better cause
 Rizal’s notification was contained in a letter addressed to Mr. A.L. Lorena (pseudonym
of Deodato Arellano)
 May 30, 1891-revision of the finished manuscript of El Filibusterismo was mostly
completed
 June 13, 1891-Rizal informed Basa that he was negotiating with a printing firm

EL FILIBUSTERISMO PUBLISHED IN GHENT (1891)

-Rizal was busy revising and polishing the manuscript of El Filibusterismo so that it
could be ready for the press
-Rizal had begun writing it in October, 1887, while practicing medicine in Calamba, the
following year (1888), in London; he made some changes in the plot and corrected
some chapters already written. He wrote more chapters in Paris and Madrid, and
finished the manuscript in Biarritz on March 29, 1891. It took him, therefore, three years
to write his second novel

20
 July 5, 1891- Rizal left Brussels for Ghent, a famous university city in Belgium
 Rizal reasons for moving to Ghent were (1) the cost of printing in Ghent was cheaper
than in Brussels (2) to escape from the enticing attraction of Petite Suzanne
 Rizal met two compatriots while in Ghent, Jose Alejandro (from Pampanga) and
Edilberto Evangelista (from Manila), both studying engineering in the world-famed
University of Ghent
 F. Meyer-Van Loo Press (No. 66 Viaanderen Street)-a printing shop that give Rizal
the lowest quotation for the publication of his novel, who was willing to print his book on
installment basis
 August 6, 1891-the printing of his book had to be suspended because Rizal could no
longer give the necessary funds to the printer
 Valentin Ventura- the savior of the Fili
-When Ventura learned of Rizal’s predicament and immediately sent him the
necessary funds
 September 18, 1891- El Filibusterismo came off the press
-Rizal immediately sent on this date two printed copies to Hong Kong—one for
Basa and other for Sixto Lopez
 Rizal gratefully donated the original manuscript and an autographed printed copy to
Valentin Ventura
 La Publicidad- a Barcelona newspaper, wherein it published a tribute eulogizing the
novel’s original style which “is comparable only to the sublime Alexander Dumas”
and may well be offered as “a model and a precious jewel in the now decadent
literature of Spain”
 El Nuevo Regimen- the liberal Madrid newspaper that serialized the novel in its
issues of October, 1891
 Rizal dedicated El Filibusterismo to Gom-Bur-Za (Don Mariano Gomez, 73 years old;
Don Jose Burgos, 35 years old; Jacinto Zamora, 37 years old)
 The original manuscript of El Filibusterismo in Rizal’s own handwriting in now
 September 22, 1891-four days after the Fili came off the press, Rizal wrote to
Blumentritt: ―I am thinking of writing a third novel, a novel in the modern sense of the
word, but this time politics will not find much space in it, but ethics will play the principal
role.‖
 October 18, 1891- Rizal boarded the steamer Melbourne in Marseilles bound for
Hong Kong
-during the voyage, Rizal began writing the third novel in Tagalog, which he
intended for Tagalog readers
 The unfinished novel has no title. It consists of 44 pages (33cm x 21 cm) in Rizal’s
handwriting, still in manuscript form, it is preserved in the National Library, Manila
-The story of this unfinished novel begins with the solemn burial of Prince
Tagulima. The hero of the novel was Kamandagan, a descendant of Lakan-Dula, last
king of Tondo
-It is said that Rizal was fortunate not to have finsihed this novel, because it
would have caused greater scandal and more Spanish vengeance on him

21
 Makamisa- other unfinished novel of Rizal in Tagalog written in a light sarcastic style
and is incomplete for only two chapters are finished. The manuscript consists of 20
pages, 34.2cm x 22cm
 Dapitan-another novel which Rizal started to write but it is unfinished, written in ironic
Spanish. He wrote it during his exile in Dapitan to depict the town life and customs. The
manuscript consists of 8 pages, 23cm x 16cm
 A novel in Spanish about the life in Pili, a town in Laguna, is also unfinished. The
manuscript consists of 147 pages, 8‖ x 6.5‖, without title
 Another unfinished novel of Rizal, also without title is about Cristobal, a youthful
Filipino student who has returned from Europe. The manuscript consist of 34 pages, 8
½‖ x 6 ¼‖
 The beginnings of another novel are contained in two notebooks—the first notebook
contains 31 written pages, 35.5 cm x 22 cm and second 12 written pages, 22cm x
17cm. this unfinished novel is written in Spanish and style is ironic

OPHTHALMIC SURGEON IN HONG KONG (1891-1892)

-Rizal left Europe for Hong Kong, where he lived from November, 1891 to June, 1892.
His reasons for leaving Europe were (1) life was unbearable in Europe because of his
political differences with M.H. del Pilar and other Filipinos in Spain (2) to be near his
idolized Philippines and family

 October 3, 1891-two weeks after the publication of Fili, Rizal left Ghent for Paris,
where he stayed a few days to say goodbye to the Lunas, the Pardo de Taveras, the
Venturas and other friends; Rizal proceeded by train to Marseilles
 October 18, 1891- Rizal boarded the steamer Melbourne bound for Hong Kong
 Father Fuchs- a Tyrolese, Rizal enjoyed playing chess. Rizal describe him to
Blumentritt as “He is a fine fellow, A Father Damaso without pride and malice”
 November 20, 1891-Rizal arrived in Hong Kong
 Rizal established his residence at No. 5 D’ Aguilar Street No. 2 Rednaxola Terrace,
where he also opened his medical clinic
 December 1, 1891- Rizal wrote his parents asking their permission to return home.
-On the same date, his brother-in-law, Manuel T. Hidalgo, sent him a letter
relating the sad news of the “deportation of twenty-five persons from Calamba,
including father, Neneng, Sisa, Lucia, Paciano and the rest of us.”
 The Christmas of 1891 in Hong Kong was one of the happiest Yuletide celebrations in
Rizal’s life: For he had a happy family reunion
 January 31, 1892- Rizal wrote to Blumentritt, recounting pleasant life in Hong Kong
 To earn a living for himself and for his family, Rizal practiced medicine
 Dr. Lorenzo P. Marques- a Portuguese physician, who became Rizal’s friend and
admirer, who helped him to build up a wide clientele. In recognition of Rizal’s skill as an
ophthalmic surgeon, he turned over to him many of his eye cases
 Rizal successfully operated on his mother’s left eye so that she was able to read and
write again.

22
BORNEO COLONIZATION PROJECT
 Rizal planned to move the landless Filipino families Filipino families to North Borneo
(Sabah), rich British-owned island and carve out of its virgin wildness a “New
Calamba”
 March 7, 1892- Rizal went to Sandakan on board the ship Menon to negotiate with the
British authorities for the establishment of a Filipino colony
 Rizal looked over the land up the Bengkoka River in Maradu Bay which was offered
by the British North Borneo Company
 April 20, 1892- Rizal was back in Hong Kong
 Hidalgo- Rizal’s brother-in-law, objected to the colonization project
 Governor Valeriano Weyler- Cubans odiously called “The Butcher”
 Governor Eulogio Despujol- the Count of Caspe, a new governor general after
Weyler
 December 23, 1891- first letter of Rizal to Governor Despujol
 March 21, 1892- Rizal’s second letter and gave it to a ship captain to be sure it would
reach Governor Despujol’s hand
-in this second letter, he requested the governor general to permit the landless
Filipinos to establish themselves in Borneo
 Despujol could not approve the Filipino immigration to Borneo, alleging that “the
Philippines lacked laborers” and “it was not very patriotic to go off and cultivate
foreign soil.”

WRITINGS IN HONG KONG

 “Ang Mga Karapatan Nang Tao- which is a Tagalog translation of ―The Rights of
Man‖ proclaimed by the French Revolution in 1789
 “A la Nacion Española” (To the Spanish Nation)- Rizal wrote in 1891, which is an
appeal to Spain to right the wrongs done to the Calamba tenants
 “Sa Mga Kababayan” (To my Countrymen)- another proclamation written in
December, 1891 explaining the Calamba agrarian situation
 The Hong Kong Telegraph- a British daily newspaper whose editor is Mr. Frazier
Smith, a friend of Rizal
-Rizal contributed articles to this newspaper
 “Una Visita a la Victoria Gaol” (A Visit to Victoria Gaol)- Rizal wrote on March 2,
1892, an account of his visit to the colonial prison of Hong Kong
-in this article, Rizal contrasted the cruel Spanish prison system with the modern
and more humane British prison system
 “Colonisation du British North Borneo, par de Familles de Iles Philippines”
(Colonization of British North Borneo by Families from the Philippine Islands)- an
article in French which Rizal elaborated on the same idea in aonther article in Spanish,
―Proyecto de Colonizacion del British North Borneo por los Filipinos‖ (Project of the
Colonization of British North Borneo by the Filipinos)
 “La Mano Roja” (The Red Hand)- Rizal wrote in June, 1892, which was printed in
sheet form in Hong Kong
-it denounces the frequent outbreaks of intentional fires in Manila

23
 Constitution of La Liga Filipina- the most important writing made by Rizal during his
Hong Kong sojourn, which was printed in Hong Kong, 1892
-to deceive the Spanish authorities, the printed copies carried the false
information that the printing was done by the LONDON PRINTING PRESS
 Domingo Franco-a friend of Rizal in Manila whom the copies of the printed Liga
constitution were sent

DECISION TO RETURN TO MANILA

 May, 1892- Rizal made up his mind to return to Manila.
 This decision was spurred by the following: (1) to confer with Governor Despujol
regarding his Borneo colonization project (2) to establish the La Liga Filipina in Manila
(3) to prove that Eduardo de Lete was wrong in attacking him in Madrid that he (Rizal),
being comfortable and safe in Hong Kong, had abandoned the country’s cause
 Lete’s attack, which was printed in La Solidaridad on April 15, 1892, portrayed Rizal
as cowardly, egoistic, opportunistic—a patriot in words only
 June 20, 1892- Rizal wrote two letters which he sealed, inscribed on each envelope
“to be opened after my death” and gave them to his friend Dr. Marques for
safekeeping
 The first letter, addressed TO MY PARENTS, BRETHREN, AND FRIENDS. The
second letter, addressed TO THE FILIPINOS
 June 21, 1892- Rizal penned another letter in Hong Kong for Governor Despujol,
incidentally his third letter to that discourteous Spanish chief executive
 Immediately after Rizal’s departure from Hong Kong, the Spanish consul general who
issued the government guarantee of safety, sent a cablegram to Governor Despujol that
the victim “is in the trap”. On the same day (June 21, 1892), a secret case was filed in
Manila against Rizal and his followers ―for anti-religious and anti-patriotic agitation‖
 Luis de la Torre- secretary of Despujol, ordered to find out if Rizal was naturalized as
a German citizen

SECOND HOMECOMING AND THE LIGA FILIPINA

-Rizal’s bold return to Manila in June, 1892 was his second homecoming
-Rizal firmly believed that the fight for Filipino liberties had assumed a new phase: it
must be fought in the Philippines not in Spain. “The battlefield is in the Philippines,”
he told countrymen in Europe, “There is where we should meet… There we will help
one another, there together we will suffer or triumph perhaps.”

ARRIVAL IN MANILA WITH SISTER

 June 26, 1892- Sunday at 12:00 noon, Rizal and his widowed sister Lucia (wife of late
Mariano Herbosa) arrived in Manila
 In the afternoon, at 4:00 o’clock, he went to Malacañang Palace to seek audience with
the Spanish governor general, General Eulogio Despujol, Conde de Caspe
 June 27, 1892- at 6:00pm, Rizal boarded a train in Tutuban Station and visited his
friends in Malolos (Bulacan), San Fernando (Pampanga), Tarlac (Tarlac), and Bacolor
(Pampanga)
 Rizal returned by train to Manila on the next day, June 28, at 5 o’clock in the afternoon

24
FOUNDLING OF THE LIGA FILIPINA
 July 3, 1892- on the evening of Sunday, following his morning interview with Governor
General Despujol, Rizal attended a meeting with patriots at the home of the Chinese-
Filipino mestizo, Doroteo Ongjunco, on Ylaya Street, Tondo, Manila
 Rizal explained the objectives of the Liga Filipina, a civic league of Filipinos, which he
desired to establish and its role in the socio-economic life of the people.
 The officers of the new league were elected, as follows: Ambrosio Salvador
(President); Deodato Arellano (Secretary); Bonifacio Arevalo (Treasurer); and Agustin
de la Rosa (Fiscal)
 Unus Instar Omnium (One Like All)- the motto of the Liga Filipina
 The governing body of the league was the Supreme Council which had jurisdiction
over the whole country. It was composed of a president, a secretary, a treasurer, and a
fiscal. There was a Provincial Council in every province and a Popular Council in every
town
 The duties of the Liga members are as follows (1) obey the orders of the Supreme
Council (2) to help in recruiting new members (3) to keep in strictest secrecy the
decisions of the Liga authorities (4) to have symbolic name which he cannot change
until he becomes president of his council (5) to report to the fiscal anything that he may
hear which affect the Liga (6) to behave well as befits a good Filipino (7) to help fellow
members in all ways

RIZAL ARRESTED AND JAILED IN FORT SANTIAGO

 July 6, 1892- Wednesday, Rizal went to Malacañang Palace to resume his series of
interviews with governor general
 Pobres Frailles (Poor Friars)- incriminatory leaflets which allegedly found in Lucia’s
pillow cases; it is under the authorship of Fr. Jacinto and printed by the Imprenta de los
Amigos del Pais, Manila
 Rizal was placed under arrest and escorted to Fort Santiago by Ramon Despujol,
nephew and aide of Governor General Despujol
 July 7, 1892- the Gaceta de Manila published the story of Rizal’s arrest which
produced indignant commotion among the Filipino people, particlarly the members of
the newly organized Liga Filipina
 The same issue of the Gaceta (july 7, 1892) contained Governor General Despujol’s
decree deporting Rizal to ―one of the islands in the South‖
 July 14, 1892, shortly after midnight (that is 12:30 am of July 15, 1892) – Rizal
was brought under heavy guard to the steamer Cebu which was sailing for Dapitan.
This steamer under Captain Delgras departed at 1:00 AM, July 15, sailing south,
passing Mindoro and Panay and reaching Dapitan on Sunday, the 17th of July at 7:00 in
the evening
 Captain Ricardo Carnicero- Spanish commandant of Dapitan whom Captain Delgras
handed Rizal
 July 17, 1892- July 31, 2896- Rizal began his exile in lonely Dapitan, a period of four
years

25
EXILE IN DAPITAN, 1892-1896
-Rizal lived in exile far-away Dapitan, a remote town in Mindanao which was under the
missionary jurisdiction of the Jesuits, from 1892 to 1896
-Rizal practiced medicine, pursued scientific studies, continued his artistic and literary
works, widened his knowledge of languages, established a school for boys, promoted
developments projects, invented a wooden machine for making bricks, and engaged in
farming and commerce

BEGINNING OF EXILE IN DAPITAN

 The steamer Cebu which brought Rizal to Dapitan carried a letter from Father Pablo
Pastells, Superior of the Jesuit Society in the Philippine, to Father Antonio Obach,
Jesuit parish priest of Dapitan
 Rizal lived in the house of the commandant, Captain Carnicero
 A Don Ricardo Carnicero- Rizal wrote a poem on August 26, 1892, on the occasion
of the captain’s birthday
 September 21, 18792- the mail boat Butuan was approaching the town, with colored
pennants flying in the sea breezes
 Butuan- the mail boat, brought the happy tidings that the Lottery Ticket no. 9736
jointly owned by Captain Carcinero, Dr. Jose Rizal, and Francisco Equilior (Spanish
resident of Dipolog, a neighboring town of Dapitan) won the second prize of P20,000 in
the government-owned Manila Lottery
 Rizal’s winning in the Manila Lottery reveals an aspect of his lighter side. He never
drank hard liquor and never smoked but he was a lottery addict—this was his only vice
 During his exile in Dapitan, Rizal had a long and scholarly debate with Father Pastells
on religion.
 In all his letters to Father Pastells, Rizal revealed his anti-Catholic ideas which he had
acquired in Europe and embitterment at his persecution by the bad friars
 According to Rizal, individual judgment is a gift from God and everybody should use it
like a lantern to show the way and that self-esteem, if moderated by judgment, saves
man from unworthy acts
 Imitacion de Cristo (Imitation of Christ)- a famous Catholic book by Father Thomas
a Kempis which Father Pastells gave to Rizal
 Mr. Juan Lardet- a businessman, a French acquaintance in Dapitan, Rizal challenge
in a duel—this man purchased many logs from the lands of Rizal
 Antonio Miranda- a Dapitan merchant and friend of Rizal
 Father Jose Vilaclara- cura of Dipolog

 Pablo Mercado-friar’s spy and posing as a relative, secretly visited Rizal at his house
on the night of November 3, 1891
-he introduced himself as a friend and relative, showing a photo of Rizal and a
pair of buttons with the initials ―P.M.‖ (Pablo Mercado) as evidence of his kinship with
the Rizal family
 Captain Juan Sitges- who succeeded Captain Carnicero on May 4, 1893 as
commandant of Dapitan, Rizal denounced to him the impostor
 Florencio Namanan- the real name of ―Pablo Mercado‖

26
 -a native of Cagayan de Misamis, single and about 30 years old. He was hired by
the Recollect friars to a secret mission in Dapitan—to introduce himself to Rizal as a
friend and relative, to spy on Rizal’s activities, and to filch certain letters and writings of
Rizal which might incriminate him in the revolutionary movement.
 As physician in Dapitan—Rizal practiced Medicine in Dapitan. He had many
patients, but most of them were poor so that he even gave them free medicine.
-As a physician, Rizal became interested in local medicine and in the use of
medicinal plants. He studied the medicinal plants of the Philippines and their curative
values.
 August 1893- Rizal’s mother and sister, Maria, arrived in Dapitan and lived with him
for one year and a half. Rizal operated on his mother’s right eye
 Rizal held the title of expert surveyor (perito agrimensor), which obtained from the
Ateneo
-In Dapitan, Rizal applied his knowledge of engineering by constructing a system
of waterworks in order to furnish clean water to the townspeople
 Mr. H.F. Cameron-an American engineer who praised Rizal’s engineering

COMMUNITY PROJECTS FOR DAPITAN

 When Rizal arrived in Dapitan, he decided to improve it, to the best of his God-given
talents and to awaken the civic consciousness of its people
(1) Constructing the town’s first water system
(2) Draining the marshes in order to get rid of malaria that infested Dapitan
(3) Equip the town with its lighting system—this lighting system consisted of coconut
oil lamps placed in the dark streets of Dapitan
(4) Beautification of Dapitan—remodeled the town plaza in order to enhance its
beauty

 Rizal as Teacher—Rizal exile to Dapitan gives him the opportunity to put into practice
his educational ideas. In 1893 he established a school which existed until the end of his
exile in July, 1896. Rizal taught his boys reading, writing, languages (Spanish and
English), geography, history, mathematics (arithmetic and geometry), industrial work,
nature study, morals and gymnastics. He trained them how to collect specimens of
plants and animals, to love work and to ―behave like men‖
 Hymn to Talisay (Himno A Talisay)- Rizal wrote this poem in honor of Talisay for his
pupils to sing
 Contributions to Science—during his four-year exile in Dapitan, Rizal built up a rich
collection of concology which consisted of 346 shells representing 203 species. Rizal
also conducted anthropological, ethnographical, archaeological, geological, and
geographical studies, as revealed by his voluminous correspondence with his scientists
friends in Europe.
 Linguistic Studies—In Dapitan, he learned the Bisayan, Subanum, and Malay
languages. He wrote Tagalog grammar, made a comparative study of the Bisayan and
Malayan languages and studied Bisayan (Cebuan), and Subanum languages
-By this time, Rizal could rank with the world’s great linguists. He knew 22
languages—Tagalog, Ilokano, Bisayan, Subanun, Spanish, Latin, Greek, English,

27
French, German, Arabic, Malay, Hebrew, Sanskrit, Dutch, Catalan, Italian, Chinese,
Japanese, Portuguese, Swedish, and Russian
 Artistic works in Dapitan—Rizal continued his artistic pursuits in Dapitan. Rizal
made sketches of persons and things that attracted him in Dapitan.
-The Mother’s Revenge- a statuette made by Rizal representing the mother-dog
killing the crocodile, by way of avenging her lost puppy
-Other sculptural works of Rizal in Dapitan were a bust of Father Guerrico (one of
his Ateneo professors), a statue of a girl called ―the Dapitan Girl‖, a woodcarving of
Josephine Bracken (his wife) and a bust of St. Paul which he gave to Father Pastells
 Rizal as Farmer—In Dapitan, Rizal devoted much of his time to agriculture. Rizal
introduced modern methods of agriculture which he had observed in Europe and
America. He encouraged the Dapitan farmers to discard their primitive system of tillage
and adopt the modern agricultural methods
 Rizal as Businessman—Rizal engaged in business in partnership with Ramon
Carreon, a Dapitan merchant, he made profitable business ventures in fishing, copra,
and hemp industries
-January 19, 1893-Rizal wrote a letter to Hidalgo expressing his plan to improve
the fishing industry of Dapitan
-The most profitable business venture of Rizal in Dapitan was in the hemp
industry. May 14, 1893-Rizal formed a business partnership with Ramon Carreon in
lime manufacturing
-January 1, 1895-Rizal organized the Cooperative Association of Dapitan
Farmers to break the Chinese monopoly on business in Dapitan
 Rizal’s Inventive Ability—Rizal invented a cigarette lighter which he sent as a gift to
Blumentritt. He called it ―sulpukan‖. This unique cigarette lighter was made of wood. ―Its
mechanism‖, said Rizal ―is based on the principle of compressed air.‖
-During his exile in Dapitan, he invited a wooden machine for making bricks
 My Retreat (Mi Retiro)- Rizal wrote this beautiful poem about his serene life as an
exile in Dapitan and sent it to her mother on October 22, 1895, which acclaimed by
literary critics as one of the best ever penned by Rizal.

LAST TRIP ABROAD (1896)

-No longer an exile, Rizal had a pleasant trip from Dapitan to Manila, with delightful
stopovers in Dumaguete, Cebu, Iloilo, Capiz, and Romblon

 Isla de Luzon-a regular steamer that Rizal missed which sailed to Spain the day
before he arrived in Manila Bay
 Castilla- a Spanish cruiser wherein Rizal was kept as a ―guest‖ on board
 August 26, 1896- Andres Bonifacio and the Katipunan raised the cry of revolution in
the hills of Balintawak, a few miles north of Manila
 September 3, 1896- Rizal left for Spain on the steamer Isla de Panay
 July 31, 1896- Rizal left Dapitan at midnight on board the España sailed northward
 August 1, 1896- at dawn of Saturday, it anchored at Dumaguete, capitan of Negros
Oriental
-“Dumaguete” wrote Rizal in his travel diary ―spreads out on the beach. There
are big houses, some with galvanized iron roofing. Outstanding are the house of a lady,

28
whose name I have forgotten, which is occupied by the government and another one
just begun with many ipil post
 Herrero Regidor- Rizal friend and former classmate, who was the judge of the
province, Dumaguete
 The España left Dumaguete about 1:00pm and reached Cebu the following morning
“In Cebu, Rizal wrote in his diary “I did two operations of strabotomy, one
operation on the ears and another of tumor.”
 In the morning of Monday, August 3, 1896, Rizal left Cebu going to Iloilo. Rizal landed
at Iloilo, went shopping in the city and visited Molo. From Iloilo, Rizal’s ship sailed to
Capiz. After a brief stopover, it proceeded towards Manila via Romblon
 August 6, 1896- morning of Thursday, the España arrived in Manila Bay
 Rizal was not able to catch the mail ship Isla de Luzon for Spain because it had
departed the previous day at 5:00pm
 Near midnight of the same day, August 6, Rizal was transferred to the Spanish cruiser
Castilla, by order of Governor General Ramon Blanco. He was given good
accommodation by the gallant captain, Enrique Santalo
 August 6 to September 2, 1896, Rizal stayed on the cruiser pending the availability of
Spain-bound steamer

OUTBREAK OF PHILIPPINE REVOLUTION

 August 19, 1896- the Katipunan plot to overthrow Spanish rule by means of revolution
was discovered by Fray Mariano Gil, Augustinian cura of Tondo
 August 26, 1896- the “Cry of Balintawak‖ which raised by Bonifacio and his valiant
Katipuneros
 August 30, 1896- sunrise, the revolutionists led by Bonifacio and Jacinto attacked
San Juan, near the city of Manila
-in the afternoon, after the Battle of San Juan, Governor General Blanco
proclaimed a state of war in the first eight provinces for rising in arms against Spain—
Manila (as a province), Bulacan, Cavite, Batangas, Laguna, Pampanga, Nueva
Ecija, and Tarlac
 Rizal learned of the eruption of the revolution and raging battles around Manila
through the newspapers he read on the Castilla. He was worried for two reasons: (1)
the violent revolution which he sincerely believed to be premature and would only cause
much suffering and terrible loss of human lives and property had started (2) it would
arouse Spanish vengeance against all Filipino patriots
 August 30, 1896- Rizal received from Governor General Blanco two letters of
introduction for the Minister of War and Minister of Colonies, which a covering letter
which absolved him from all blame for the raging revolution
 September 2, 1896- the day before Rizal departure for Spain, Rizal, on board the
Castilla, wrote to his mother
-At 6:00pm, Rizal was transferred to the steamer Isla de Panay which was sailing
for Barcelona, Spain
 The next morning, September 3, this steamer left Manila Bay
 The Isla de Panay arrived at Singapore in the evening of September 7
 Don Pedro Roxas- rich Manila creole industrialist and Rizal’s friend that advised him
to stay on Singapore and take advantage of the protection of the British law

29
 Don Manuel Camus- headed several Filipino residents in Singapore, boarded the
steamer, urging Rizal to stay in Singapore to save his life
 The Isla de Panay, with Rizal on board, left Singapore at 1:00pm, September 8
 September 25, 1896- Rizal saw the steamer Isal de Luzon, leaving the Suez Canal,
crammed with Spanish troops
 September 27, 1896- Rizal heard from the passengers that a telegram arrived from
Manila reporting the execution of Francisco Roxas, Genato and Osorio
 September 28, 1986- a day after the steamer had left Port Said (Mediterranean
terminus of the Suez Canal), a passenger told Rizal the bad news that he would be
arrested by order of Governor General Blanco and would be sent to prison in Ceuta
(Spanish Morocco), opposite Gibraltar
 September 29, 1896- Rizal wrote in his travel diary: There are people on board who
do nothing but slander me and invent fanciful stories about me. I’m going to become a
legendary personage
 September 30, 1896- at 4:00pm, Rizal was officially notofied by Captain Alemany that
he should stay in his cabin until further orders from Manila
-about 6:25pm, the steamer anchored at Malta. Being confined to his cabin, Rizal
was not able to visit the famous island-fortress of the Christian crusaders
 October 3, 1896- at 10:00am, the Isla de Panay arrived in Barcelona, with Rizal, a
prisoner on board
 The trip from Manila to Barcelona lasted exactly 30 days. Rizal was kept under heavy
guard in his cabin for three days
 General Eulogio Despujol- military commander of Barcelona who ordered his
banishment to Dapitan in July 1892
 October 6, 1896- at 3:00am, Rizal was awakened by the guards and escorted to the
grim and infamous prison-fortress named Monjuich
 About 2:00 in the afternoon, Rizal was taken out of prison by the guards and brought
to the headquarters of General Despujol
 Colon- a transport ship back to Manila
 Rizal was taken aboard the Colon, which was “full of soldiers and officers and their
families.”
 October 6, 1896- at 8:00pm, the ship left Barcelona with Rizal on board

LAST HOMECOMING AND TRIAL

-Rizal’s homecoming in 1896, the last in his life, was his saddest return to his beloved
native land. He knew he was facing the supreme test, which might mean the sacrifice of
his life, but he was unafraid
-The trial that was held shortly after Rizal’s homecoming was one of history’s mockeries
of justice

A MARTYR’S LAST HOMECOMING

 October 6, 1896- Tuesday, Rizal leaved Barcelona, Rizal conscientiously recorded
the events on his diary
 October 8, 1896- a friendly officer told Rizal that the Madrid newspaper were full of
stories about the bloody revolution in the Philippines and were blaming him for it

30
 October 11, 1896- before reaching Port Said, Rizal’s diary was taken away and was
critically scrutinized by the authorities
 November 2, 1896-the diary was returned to Rizal
 Attorney Hugh Fort-an English lawyer in Singapore
-his friends (Dr. Antonio Ma. Regidor and Sixto Lopez) dispatched frantic
telegrams to Fort to rescue Rizal from the Spanish steamer when it reached Singapore
by means of writ of habeas corpus
 Chief Justice Loinel Cox- denied the writ on the ground that the Colon was carrying
Spanish troops to the Philippines
 November 3, 1896- the Colon reached Manila, where it was greeted with wild
rejoicings by the Spaniards and friars because it brought more reinforcements and
military supplies
 November 20, 1896- the preliminary investigation on Rizal began
 Colonel Francisco Olive-the judge advocate
 Two kinds of evidence were presented against Rizal, namely documentary and
testimonial. The documentary evidence consisted of fifteen exhibits, as follows:
(1) A letter of Antonio Luna to Mariano Ponce, dated Madrid, October 16, 1888,
showing Rizal’s connection with the Filipino reform campaign in Spain
(2) A letter of Rizal to his family, dated Madrid, August 20, 1890, stating that the
deportations are good for they will encourage the people to hate tyranny
(3) A letter from Marcelo H. del Pilar to Deodato Arellano, dated Madrid, January 7,
1889, implicating Rizal in the Propaganda campaign in Spain
(4) A poem entitled Kundiman, allegedly written by Rizal in Manila on September 12,
1891
(5) A letter of Carlos Oliver to an unidentified person dated Barcelona, September 18,
1891, describing Rizal as the man to free the Philippines from Spanish oppression
(6) A Masonic document, dated Manila, February 9, 1892, honoring Rizal for his
patriotic services
(7) A letter signed Dimasalang (Rizal’s pseudonym) to Tenluz (Juan Zulueta’s
pseudonym), dated Hong Kong, May 24, 1892, stating that he was preparing a safe
refuge for Filipinos who may be persecuted by the Spanish authorities
(8) A letter of Dimasalang to an unidentified committee, dated Hong Kong, June 1,
1892, soliciting the aid of the committee in the ―patriotic work‖
(9) An anonymous and undated letter to the Editor of the Hong Kong Telegraph,
censuring the banishment of Rizal to Dapitan
(10) A letter of Idefonso Laurel to Rizal, dated Manila, September 3, 1892, saying that
the Filipino people look up to him (Rizal) as their savior
(11) A letter of Idefonso Laurel to Rizal, dated Manila, September 17, 1893, informing
an unidentified correspondent of the arrest and banishment of Doroteo Cortes and
Ambrosio Salvador
(12) A letter of Marcelo H. del Pilar to Don Juan A. Tenluz (Juan Zulueta), dated
Madrid, June 1, 1893 recommending the establishment of a special organization,
independent of Masonry, to help the cause of the Filipino people
(13) Transcript of a speech of Pingkian (Emilio Jacinto), in reunion of the Katipunan
on July 23, 1893, in which the following cry was, uttered ―Long Live the Philippines!
Long live Doctor Rizal! Unity!‖

31
 (14) Transcript of a speech of Tik-Tik (Jose Turiano Santiago) in the same Katipunan
reunion, where in the katipuneros shouted: ―Long live the eminent Doctor Rizal! Death
to the oppressor nation!‖
(15) A poem by Laong Laan (Rizal), entitled A Talisay in which the author makes the
Dapitan schoolboys sing that they know how to fight their rights

 The testimonial evidence consisted of the oral testimonies of Martin Constantino,

Aguedo del Rosario, Jose Reyes, Moises Salvador, Jose Dizon, Domingo Franco,
Deodato Arellano, Ambrosio Salvador, Pedro Serrano Laktaw, Dr. Pio Valenzuela,
Antonio Salazar, Francisco Quison, and Timoteo Paez
 November 26, 1896- after the preliminary investigation, Colonel Olive transmitted the
records of the case to Governor Dominguez as special Judge Advocate to institute the
corresponding action against Rizal
 After studying the papers, Judge advocate General, Don Nicolas de la Peña,
submitted the following recommendations: (1) the accused be immediately brought to
trial (2) he should be kept in prison (3) an order of attachment be issued against his
property to the amount of one million pesos as indemnity (4) he should be defended in
court by an army officer, not by a civilian lawyer
 The only right given to Rizal by the Spanish authorities was to choose his defense
counsel
 December 8, 1896- Feast Day of the Immaculate Conception, a list of 100 first and
second lieutenants in the Spanish Army was presented to Rizal
 Don Luis Taviel de Andrade- 1st Lieutenant of the Artillery, chosen by Rizal to
defend him
-brother of Lt. Jose Taviel de Andrade, Rizal’s ―bodyguard‖ in Calamba in 1887
 December 11, 1896- the information of charges was formally read to Rizal in his
prison cell, with his counsel present
 Rizal was accused of being “the principal organizer and the living soul of the
Filipino insurrection, the founder of societies, periodicals, and books dedicated
to fomenting and propagating ideas of rebellion.”
 December 13, 1896- Dominguez forwarded the papers of the Rizal case to
Malacañang Palace
 December 15, 1896- Rizal wrote the Manifesto to His People in his prison cell at
Fort Santiago, appealing to them to stop the necessary shedding of blood and to
achieve their liberties by means of education and industry
 December 25, 1896- a dark and cheerless Christmas for Rizal, his last on earth, was
the saddest in Rizal’s life
 December 26, 1896- at 8:00am, the court-martial of Rizal started in the military
building called Cuartel de España
 Lt. Col. Togores Arjona- considered the trial over and ordered the hall cleared. After
a short deliberation, the military court unanimously voted for the sentence of death
 December 28, 1896- Polavieja approved the decision of the court-martial and ordered
Rizal to be shot at 7:00 in the morning of December 30 at Bagumbayan Field (Luneta)

32
MARTYRDOM AT BAGUMBAYAN
-After the court-martial, Rizal returned to his cell in Fort Santiago to prepare his
rendezvous with destiny
-During his last 24 hours on earth—from 6:00am December 29 to 6:00am December
30, 1896—he was busy meeting visitors
 Santiago Mataix- Spanish newspaper correspondent
 Pearl of the Orient Sea- Rizal called the Philippines
 Pearl of the Orient- Rizal’s last poem in an article entitled “Unfortunate
Philippines” published in The Hong Kong Telegraph on September 24, 1892

33