Part 1: Rizal in Europe
Introduction: The "Most Travelled Filipino Hero"
Jose P. Rizal was known as the “Most Travelled Filipino Hero,” visiting almost 20 countries and
40 island cities1. His journeys abroad, particularly in Europe, were crucial in shaping his
political ideals and fueling his nationalism2222.
A. The First Voyage to Spain (May 1882)
The Secret Departure
Rizal’s departure for Spain was kept secret from his parents, his sweetheart Leonor Rivera,
and the Spanish authorities3.
● Who knew: His older brother Paciano, his uncle Antonio Rivera (Leonor's father), his
sisters Neneng and Lucia, the Valenzuela family (and their daughter Orang), Pedro A.
Paterno, his companion Mateo Evangelista, and some Jesuit priests4.
● Departure: He left the Philippines on May 3, 1882, at 20 years old5. He left goodbye
letters for his parents and Leonor, which were handed to them after he sailed6.
● Alias: He used the name Jose Mercado on his travel documents7.
● Purpose: His main reason was to move to the Universidad Central de Madrid to finish
his medical degree8.
On the Salvadora (First Leg)
● The ship had 16 passengers, including Rizal9. He was the only Filipino; the others were
Spanish, British, and Indian Negroes10.
● As a keen observer, he made drawings of the coastlines (Manila Bay, Palawan, Borneo)
and his fellow passengers11.
● He noted that most of his fellow travelers, primarily Spanish workers, "talked ill of the
Philippines" where they had gone for monetary purposes12. He observed and compared
the people and places to those in the Philippines13.
B. Key Experiences and Observations in Europe
1. Singapore (First Stop)
● Rizal stayed for two days (May 9, 1882) at the Hotel de Paz14.
● He was fascinated by the British colony's development, visiting its botanical garden,
temples, art galleries, and the monument of its founder, Sir Thomas Stanford Raffles15.
● Key Observation: He noted that the people of Singapore seemed to trust their British
administrators, a stark contrast to the Filipinos who feared their Spanish rulers16.
2. On the Djemnah (To Europe)
● On May 11, Rizal boarded the Djemnah, a French vessel17.
● He found it bigger and cleaner than the Salvadora, with a carpeted interior and
"excellent" bathrooms18.
● French was mostly spoken on board19. Rizal tried to practice, but found his
Ateneo-learned French could not be understood20. He had to use Latin, Spanish, and
hand gestures to communicate, and tried to improve by reading French newspapers21.
3. Stops en route to Spain
● Ceylon (Sri Lanka): He went sightseeing in Point de Galle (which he called a "sleepy
port") and Colombo22.
● Aden (Yemen): He found the city hotter than Manila23. He saw merchants selling lion
and leopard skins and saw camels for the first time24.
● Suez Canal / Port Said (Egypt): He landed at Port Said on June 2, 188225. He described
it as a "multicultural city" where people spoke Arabic, Greek, Egyptian, Italian, and
Spanish26. He saw it as a blend of Eastern and Western traditions27.
● Naples (Italy): On June 11, the ship stopped in Naples28. Rizal admired the city's
"panoramic beauty," the "liveliness of the inhabitants," Mount Vesuvius, and the castle
of St. Telno29.
● Marseilles (France): Rizal disembarked here30. He visited the Château d'If, the prison
setting for his favorite book, The Count of Monte Cristo31.
4. Arrival in Spain: Barcelona
● Rizal arrived in Barcelona on June 16, 188232.
● Initial Impression: He found the city "dim, filthy and ugly," staying in a dingy inn on an
unattractive side of town where guests were indifferent to him33333333.
● Changed Opinion: After traveling the city, he noticed it embraced freedom and
liberalism, unlike the Philippines34. He concluded it was a "great city" with
open-hearted, hospitable, and brave people35. He enjoyed strolling on Las Ramblas
lane36.
● Bad News: While in Barcelona, he received two pieces of bad news37:
1. A cholera epidemic was destroying Manila and the provinces38.
2. A letter from "Chenggoy" reported that Leonor Rivera was unhappy and
becoming thinner39.
● Amor Patrio: He wrote his first nationalist essay, "Amor Patrio" (Love of Country),
using the pen name Laon-Laan40. It was published in Diariong Tagalog on August 20,
188241.
5. Romantic Episode with Consuelo Ortiga
● Rizal frequented the house of Don Pablo Ortiga y Rey every Saturday, where he met his
daughters, Consuelo and Pilar42.
● He was drawn to Consuelo and wrote her a love poem, "A la Senorita C.O. Y R"43.
● He did not let the romance thrive because he was still engaged to Leonor Rivera and his
friend Eduardo de Lete was also in love with Consuelo44.
● He left Madrid for Paris in the summer of 1883 to ignore Consuelo45.
C. Academic Journey in Spain and Germany
1. Universidad Central de Madrid (Spain)
● Enrollment (Nov 3, 1882): Rizal enrolled in two courses: Medicine and Philosophy and
Letters46.
● Other Studies: He also studied painting, sculpture, and languages (French, German,
English) at the Academy of San Carlos47. He took lessons in shooting and fencing in the
Sanz and Carbonell Halls48.
● Frugal Life: Rizal lived frugally, budgeting his 35 pesos a month allowance
carefully49494949. He recorded all expenses in his diary50. He bathed infrequently because
it was expensive (35 centavos), once boasting his last bath was a month prior51.
● Financial Crisis: In 1883, Rizal’s allowance was cut525252. His family in Calamba faced a
financial crisis due to falling sugar prices and rising land rents from the Dominican
estate manager (who was angered by not receiving a free turkey) 53. Paciano had to sell
his pony to send his brother money54.
● The Brindis Speech (June 25, 1884):
○ Rizal gave a speech at a banquet honoring Filipino painters Juan Luna (for
Spoliarium) and Felix Resurreccion Hidalgo (for Christian Virgins Unveiled to the
Populace)55.
○ He declared that "genius is not the monopoly of any race" and that the painters
were creations of both the Philippines and Spain56.
○ The speech, which scored the "ill-wishers" of the Filipinos, was reported in El
Liberal and reached the Philippines57575757.
○ It made enemies for Rizal58. His mother, Dona Teodora, "was fraught with fear," fell
ill, and could not eat for days59. Paciano warned him to be more vigilant60.
2. Completion of Studies (Spain)
● Licentiate in Medicine: Awarded on June 21, 1884, with a "Fair" rating61616161. This
degree qualified him to practice medicine62.
● Academic Record (Medicine):
● Doctor of Medicine (NOT Conferred): Rizal passed all subjects for his doctorate64.
However, the degree was not conferred because he failed to present a thesis and pay
the graduation fees65.
○ He was not interested in the degree, as it was only for teaching, and he knew no
friar-owned university in the Philippines would hire him due to his "brown color"66.
○ Technically, the title "Dr. Rizal" is a misnomer67. His friend Maximo Viola later
loaned him money to acquire his licentiate degree68.
● Licentiate in Philosophy and Letters: He graduated on his 24th birthday (June 19,
1885)69.
● Academic Record (Philosophy & Letters): 70
3. Specialization in Ophthalmology (France & Germany)
● Rizal chose to specialize in ophthalmology7878.
● Paris (Oct 1885 - Mar 1886): He worked as an assistant to Dr. Louis de Wecker, a
leading French ophthalmologist7979.
○ While in Paris, he visited his friends and posed as a model for Juan Luna80. He
appeared as an Egyptian priest in "The death of Cleopatra" and as Sikatuna in
"The Blood Compact"81.
● Heidelberg, Germany (Feb 1886): He worked as an assistant to Dr. Otto Becker (and at
De Galezowsky's clinic)82828282.
○ He stayed with German law students, played chess, and attended lectures at the
University of Heidelberg83838383.
○ Inspired by the flowers along the Neckar River, he wrote the poem "A las Flores
de Heidelberg" (To the Flowers of Heidelberg)84.
● Leipzig & Dresden (1886): He visited historian Fredrich Ratzel in Leipzig and
translated William Tell into Tagalog85. In Dresden, he met Dr. Adolf B. Meyer of the
Museum of Anthropology86.
● Berlin, Germany (Nov 1886):
○ He met prominent scientists Dr. Feodor Jagor (author of Travels in the
Philippines), Hans Virchow, and Adolf B. Meyer87.
○ He wrote a scholarly paper, Tagalische Verkunst (Tagalog Metrical Art)88.
○ Publishing Noli Me Tangere: He finished the novel in Berlin and found a printer89.
His allowance from Calamba stopped (due to a locust attack), and he almost
couldn't publish the book90.
○ Dr. Maximo Viola visited him, paid for the printing expenses, and cared for Rizal's
health, as he was spitting up blood from a frugal lifestyle91.
● Grand Tour (1887): After the Noli was published, Rizal and Viola toured Europe, visiting
Leitmeritz (to meet Blumentritt), Prague, Vienna, Munich, Geneva, and other cities92.
Rizal then traveled alone to Italy (Milan, Venice, Rome) before returning to the
Philippines93.
D. Rizal, his Books, and the Freemasons
The Avid Book Collector
Rizal "wasted no money in purchasing books from second-hand bookstores"94. His collection
included:
● The Holy Bible 95
● The Lives of the Presidents of the United States 96
● Complete Works of Voltaire (9 volumes) 97
● Complete Works of C. Bernard (16 volumes) 98
● Complete Works of Horace (3 volumes) 99
● The Byzantine Empire; The Renaissance 100
● History of the French Revolution 101
● Eugene Sue's The Wandering Jew 102
● Harriet Beecher Stowe's Uncle Tom's Cabin 103
● The Works of Alexander Dumas 104
● Books on medicine, politics, and military engineering 105105105105
● Benito Perez Galdos's Doña Perfecta (which influenced Noli Me Tangere by showing the
church's immense influence) 106
The books that most affected him were Uncle Tom's Cabin and The Wandering Jew107.
Entry into Freemasonry
● Rizal was impressed by the liberal and republican Masons he met in Madrid, who
criticized the Church for "propagation of moral superstition and
obscurantism"108108108108.
● Freemasonry was banned by the Catholic Church; members were considered sinners
and denied sacraments and Christian burial109.
● Joining (1883): Rizal joined the Acacia Lodge in Madrid110.
● Masonic Name: Dimasalang (unstoppable/untouchable)111.
● Motivation:
1. He opposed the activities of the friars in the Philippines112.
2. He believed in the Masonic ideals of reason and the "universal brotherhood of
man"113.
3. He wanted the support of influential Spanish Masons114.
● Impact on Ideals: After joining, Rizal "avoided going to church regularly" and began to
doubt matters of faith, choosing to accept them only "by the light of reason"115.
However, his core faith in God remained116.
● Ranks: He became a Master Mason at Lodge Solidaridad (Nov 15, 1890) and Le Grand
Orient of France (Feb 15, 1892)117.
Part 2: The Propaganda Movement
Introduction
Faced with persecution, Filipino reformists in Europe sought reforms from Spain118. They were
not seeking independence, but peaceful assimilation for the Philippines to become a
province of Spain119119119119. The movement (peak 1880-1895) was a "truth campaign and an
appeal for sympathy"120.
Dr. Domingo Abella argued it should be called the "Counter Propaganda Movement," as its
goal was to combat the disinformation (anti-Filipino propaganda) spread by Spanish
organizations121.
A. Aims of the Propaganda Movement
The movement's advocates wanted Filipinos to be treated as Spanish citizens with the same
rights122. Their specific aims were:
● Representation of the Philippines in the Spanish Cortes (Parliament)123.
● Secularization of the clergy124.
● Legalization of equality between Spaniards and Filipinos125.
● Creation of a public school system independent of the friars126.
● Abolition of polo y servicio (forced labor) and bandala (forced sale of goods)127.
● Protection of fundamental freedoms128.
● Equal opportunities for Filipinos and Spanish in civil service129.
B. Key Figures (The Propagandists)
The movement was composed of Filipino exiles (from 1872), students, and patriots who had
fled persecution 130130130130. The main staff of La Solidaridad were called the "Glorious Trinity
of the Propaganda Movement": Jose Rizal, Marcelo H. del Pilar, and Mariano
Ponce131131131131.
1. Jose Rizal (Laon-Laan, Dimas-alang)
● Role: He called for a "nationalistic recovery"132.
● He founded the Indios Bravos, urging Filipinos not to be ashamed of the term "Indian"
but to aspire for "intellectual prominence"133
● Novels: His novels Noli Me Tangere (published in Berlin) and El Filibusterismo
(published in Ghent) aimed to lift the nationalistic conscience of Filipinos134. Both were
banned by the friars135.
● Historical Work: He annotated Dr. Antonio Morga's Sucesos de las Islas Filipinas
(Events in the Philippine Islands) to correct anti-Filipino historical accounts and record
the customs and beliefs of pre-Spanish Filipinos136136136136.
2. Marcelo H. del Pilar (Plaridel)
● Role: A lawyer and pamphleteer who led reform protests in the Philippines (e.g.,
shouting "Long live the Queen, long live the army, out with the friars!")137137137137.
● Writings: He mocked the friars with pamphlets like Caiigat Cayo (Be Slippery as an
eel), which was a satirical response to Fr. Jose Rodriguez’s Caiingat Cayo (Beware), a
pamphlet that attacked Noli Me Tangere138.
● He was forced to flee to Spain, where he eventually took over as editor of La
Solidaridad139.
3. Graciano Lopez Jaena
● Role: A brilliant orator known as the "Prince of the Filipino Orators"140.
● Writings: He wrote Fray Botod ("Big-Bellied Friar"), a story that satirized friars as
greedy, corrupt, hypocritical, gluttonous, and lustful141.
● La Solidaridad: He founded the newspaper La Solidaridad in 1889 with financial help
from Pablo Rianzares142.
4. Other Propagandists and Literature
Literature Author
Ninay and Sampaguita Pedro Paterno
El Progreso de Filipinas Gregorio Sanciangco
Impresiones Antonio Luna
La Universidad de Pilipinas: Plano de Estudios Jose Maria Panganiban
Celebres Filipinos Mariano Ponce
Historia de Ilocos and El Folklore Filipino Isabelo delos Reyes
C. La Solidaridad (The Newspaper)
● Role: The official organ of the reformists in Spain144.
● First Issue: February 15, 1889145.
● Aims (from its editorial):
○ To work peacefully for political and social reforms146.
○ To present the "sad conditions" in the Philippines so Spain can remedy them147.
○ To "combat reaction, to stop all retrogressive steps, to extol and adopt liberal
ideas, to defend progress"148.
○ To be a "propagandist, above all, of democratic ideas"149.
● End: The newspaper stopped publication on November 15, 1895, due to lack of
funds150150150150. In its farewell editorial, M.H. del Pilar wrote, "We are persuaded that no
sacrifices are too little to win the rights and the liberty of a nation that is oppressed by
slavery"151.
La Solidaridad Contributors
Propagandist Pseudonym/Pen name
Dr. Jose Rizal Laon Laan
Marcelo H. del Pilar Plaridel
Mariano Ponce Naning, Kalipulo, Tigbalang
Antonio Luna Taga Ilog
Jose Ma. Panganiban Jomapa
Dominador Franco Ramiro Franco
Dr. Pedro Paterno
Antonio Ma. Regidor
Isabelo delos Reyes
Eduardo de Lete
Jose Alejandrino
Professor Blumentritt (Austrian
ethnologist )
Dr. Miguel Morayta ( Spanish Historian,
university professor and statesman )
D. Associated Organizations
Asociacion Hispano-Filipino
● Formed in Madrid on January 12, 1889, by reformists led by Miguel Morayta153.
● It succeeded in passing a law making Spanish teaching compulsory in the Philippines
and laws improving the judiciary154.
● The organization died out due to a lack of funds and a change of government in
Spain155.
Role of Freemasonry
● Reformists joined the Freemasonry to find support from Spanish liberals156.
● Masonic Lodges: 157157
MASONIC LODGES
Revolucion first masonic lodge in Barcelona founded by Lopez Jaena
Solidaridad founded by M. del Pilar in Madrid
Nilad first Masonic lodge in the Philippines founded by Pedro Serrano
Laktaw
● Women were authorized to enter in 1893, including Rosario Villaruel, Josefa Rizal, and
Marina Dizon161.
E. The Challenges and Failure of the Propaganda Movement
The movement ultimately failed to achieve its goals162. The colonial government did not agree
to any of its demands163.
Reasons for Failure:
1. Spain's Internal Problems: Spain itself was undergoing many internal problems and
failed to heed the petitions164.
2. Friar Power: The friars in the Philippines were at the height of their power and
influence, and they "displayed even more arrogance"165.
3. Lack of Funds: This was a major reason166. La Solidaridad had to close, and reformers
became poor167167167167.
4. Disunity and Personal Issues: The propagandists had "different opinions," "personal
problems," and "petty quarrels"168168168168. They failed to maintain a united front169.
5. Leadership Vacuum: No strong, charismatic leader emerged from the group aside
from Jose Rizal170. Eventually, both Lopez Jaena and Rizal left the campaign171171.
6. Class Interests: Most reformers belonged to the upper middle class and had to be
cautious to protect their wealth172.
Downfall: Disunity grew, and Lopez Jaena and Rizal left the campaign173173173173. M.H. del Pilar
died of tuberculosis in Barcelona on July 4, 1896, inspiring the founding of the Katipunan174.
F. La Liga Filipina (The Philippine League)
Rizal believed the struggle should be moved from Spain to the Philippines175.
● Founding: Rizal returned to Manila on June 26, 1892176. He founded La Liga Filipina on
July 3, 1892, in Tondo, at the house of Doroteo Onjunco177.
● Constitution: Written by Rizal in Hong Kong, it aimed for:
○ Unity of the archipelago178.
○ Mutual protection in cases of necessity179.
○ Defense against violence and injustice180.
○ Encouragement of education, agriculture, and commerce181.
○ Study and application of reforms182.
● Motto: Unus Instar Omnium (One Like All)183.
● Members: Officers included Ambrosio Salvador (President), Deodato Arellano
(Secretary), and members like Andres Bonifacio184.
● The End of the Liga:
○ The Spanish authorities considered the Liga a "seditious organization"185.
○ Rizal was quietly arrested on July 6, 1892 (accused of having subversive
publications)186.
○ On July 7, he was exiled to Dapitan by Governor General Eulogio Despujol187.
● Impact: Rizal's arrest "effectively signified the end of the Propaganda movement"188.
The Liga split:
○ The middle-class members formed the Cuerpo de Compromisarios (Body of the
Committed), which also failed189.
○ Poorer members, led by Andres Bonifacio, felt the campaign for reforms was
going nowhere190. This led to the founding of the revolutionary Katipunan in
1892191.