CHAPTER 1: Advent of National Hero
**The Birth of a Hero**
* **Date Wednesday, June 19, 1861, between 11 PM and midnight
* **Location: Calamba, Laguna Province, Philippines
* **Circumstances: His birth was difficult, nearly costing his mother's life due to his large head
* **Baptism: June 22, 1861, in the Catholic church of Calamba
**Baptist Priest: Father Rufino Collantes
* **Godfather: Father Pedro Casanas, a close friend of the Rizal family
**Rizal's Parents**
* **Father: Francisco Mercado Rizal (1818-1898)
* Born in Biñan, Laguna
* Studied Latin and Philosophy at the College of San Jose in Manila
* Moved to Calamba and became a tenant-farmer of the Dominican-owned hacienda
* Described as hardy, independent-minded, and hardworking
* **Mother:** Teodora Alonso Realonda (1826-1911)
* Born in Manila
* Educated at the College of Santa Rosa, a well-known college for girls in Manila
* Possessed refined culture, literary talent, business ability, and fortitude
**The Rizal Children**
* **Total:** Eleven children, including Jose, nine sisters, and one brother
* **Order of Birth:** Saturnina(Neneng), Paciano (, Narcisa (Sisa), Olimpia (Ypia), Lucia, Maria (Biang), Jose (Pepe), Concepcion (Concha), Josefa (Panggoy), Trinidad (Trining), Soledad (Choleng)
* **Notable Siblings:**
* Paciano (1851-1930): Jose's older brother, who later joined the Philippine Revolution and became a general
* **Family Dynamics:** Affectionate and cordial sibling relationships, with Jose showing respect for his sisters and a close bond with his brother Paciano
**Rizal's Ancestry**
* **Mixed Heritage:** Rizal's ancestry included Negrito, Indonesian, Malay, Chinese, Japanese, and Spanish bloodlines [[8]]
* **Paternal Ancestry:** Traced back to Domingo Laméo, a Chinese immigrant from the Fukien city of Changchow, who arrived in Manila around 1690
* He became a Christian, married a Chinese Christian girl named Ines de la Rosa, and adopted the surname Mercado
Domingo Laméo x Ines De La Rosa =
Francisco Mercado x Cirila Bernacha =
Juan Mercado x Cirila Alejandro =
Francisco Mercado (13th child) x Teodora Alonso Realonda =
Jose Rizal
* **Maternal Ancestry:** Doña Teodora's family is said to have descended from Lakan-Dula, the last native king of Tondo
* Her great-grandfather, Eugenio Ursua (of Japanese ancestry), married a Filipina named Benigna
Eugenio Ursua x Benigna =
Regina x Manuel de Quintos =
Brigida x Lorenzo Alberto Alonso =
Teodora Alonso Realonda x Francisco Mercado Rizal =
Jose Rizal
**The Surname Rizal**
* **Original Surname:** Mercado, adopted by Domingo Laméo in 1731
* **Second Surname:** "Rizal" was added by a Spanish alcalde mayor (Provincial governor) of Laguna, a family friend
* **Reason for Adoption:** Jose explained that his family preferred the surname Mercado, but he had to use Rizal to avoid confusion with other Mercados in the Philippines
**The Rizal Home**
* **Location:** Calamba, Laguna Province, Philippines
* **Description:** A two-story building, rectangular in shape, built of adobe stones and hardwoods, with a red tile roof
* **Features:** Sliding shell windows, thick walls, a wide cistern for rainwater, a poultry yard, and a garden with tropical fruit trees
***Ila Tanom:** Atis, Balimbing, Chico, Makopa, Papaya, Santol, and Tampoy
**A Good and Middle-Class Family**
* **Social Status:** The Rizal family belonged to the principalia, a town aristocracy in Spanish Philippines
* **Financial Standing:** They were able to build a large stone house, buy another one, own a carriage, and maintain a private library with over 1,000 volumes
* **Business Ventures:** They harvested rice, corn, and sugarcane from their farms, raised pigs, chickens, and turkeys, and Dofia Teodora managed a general goods store, a flour-mill, and a home-made ham press
**Home Life of Rizal**
* **Family Values:** Don Francisco and Doña Teodora loved their children but were strict parents who instilled values of faith, obedience, and respect
* **Daily Routine:** The family attended Mass, prayed together daily, and the children kissed their parents' hands after family prayers
* **Leisure Activities:** The children were allowed ample time for play, both by themselves and with other families
