He changed his surname to protect his identity. Some of the explanations with this are: Jose’s real last name, Mercado, during those times was a hot name, targeted by the Spaniards. He changed his surname to protect his identity.

Although he had no connections with that organization and he had had no part in the insurrection, Rizal was arrested and tried for sedition by the military. Found guilty, he was publicly executed by a firing squad in Manila. His martyrdom convinced Filipinos that there was no alternative to independence from Spain.

Rizal was tried before a court-martial for rebellion, sedition and conspiracy, and was convicted on all three charges and sentenced to death.

Teodora Alonso Realonda

Due to his strong connection with Father Burgos, the friars and the Spanish authorities turned out to be very suspicious of Paciano. As a protective brother, he changed his brother’s surname from Mercado to Rizal to prevent the friars in knowing their affiliation.

This seemed to be a common practice, so that each family ended up with four surnames: each of the old and new family names of both the mother and the father. For Rizal, the compounds were his father’s double surname: Mercado and Rizal, plus his mother’s surname: Alonso and Realonda.

José Rizal, son of a Filipino father and a Chinese mother, came from a wealthy family. Despite his family’s wealth, they suffered discrimination because neither parent was born in the peninsula. Rizal studied at the Ateneo, a private high school, and then to the University of St. Thomas in Manila.

brother Paciano

Saturnina Rizal Mercado de Hidalgo

Father of Jose Rizal who was the youngest of 13 offsprings of Juan and Cirila Mercado. Rizal described his father as “a model of fathers” because his father Don Francisco gave all their needs just to have a good life even if building and giving them a library that that will help to their education.

His mother was the one, who opened the heart and eyes of Rizal tothe kind of world around him, being religious in nature, spirit of self-sacrifice andpassion for arts and literature are the traits that he got from his mother and thischaracteristics are seen throughout Rizal’s life.

Rizal were the results of many influences: His uncles and ancestors were not only interested in education but in politics also; his studies and travels in Asia, American and Europe; his being well-versed in four major languages — English, Spanish, French and German; his rich studies and researches in the libraries of …

 From his father, he inherited a profound sense of self-respect, the love for work, and the habit of independent thinking.  And from his mother, he inherited his religious nature, the spirit of self-sacrifice, and the passion for arts and literature.

Some qualities that would describe Jose Rizal are being open-minded, intelligent, and hardworking. Jose really wanted to have freedom in the Philippines from Spain, so that the Filipinos did not have to be controlled by another country. He did not care about himself. He cared more about helping his country.

Rizal is a man gifted with exceptional mental toughness. This is in contrast to the portrayal made of him by the movie industry. He was painted as a man driven primarily by emotion, confused at times about the purpose of his life, and prone to behaving like a spoiled brat.

Rizal as a Teacher. His students developed their aptitudes in Reading, Spanish, English, Mathematics, Geometry and Physical abilities through exercise, manual labor, and even formal dancing. He trained them how to collect specimens of plants and animals, to love work, and to “behave like men”.

Retana is right in saying that Rizal was always a romantic; if this is to mean one who is a dreamer, an idealist, and above all, a poet. Indeed, Rizal was a romantic, like all Filipinos, if we are to believe Mr. Taviel de Andrade. Certainly Rizal was a tireless dreamer, and a poet.

Rizal. RIZAL came from the Hebrew Word “REX-AL” that means in english, REX- meaning KING AL- meaning HIGHEST “THE HIGHEST KING” OR: “KING OF KINGS” In Christianity, KING OF KINGS is JESUS CHRIST, who is the SAVIOUR OF MEN (JHS-JESUS HOMINUM SALVATOR). N/A. Etymology: N/A.