CHAPTER

17

MISFORTUNES IN MADRID

1890-1891

• August 1890 Rizal arrived in Madrid.
• He tried all legal means to seek justice for his family and the Calamba
tenants, but failed.
• Leonor Rivera married a British Englishman, which made his burden
even worse.

Misfortunes in Madrid
Failure to get justice for his family

• Upon arrival in Madrid Rizal sought the help of the Filipino colony, the
Asociacion Hispano - Filipina and the liberal Spanish newspapers

• M.H del Pilar acted as his lawyer together with Dr. Dominador Gomez
(secretary of the Asociacion Hispano - Filipina), He calleds on the
minister of colonies (senior Fabie) to protest the injustices committed
by the Gov. Gen. and the Dominicans.

• Nothing came out of the interview.

• More terrible news reached Rizal: he received ejectment order from his
brother-in-law Silvestre Hidalgo, against Francisco Rizal and other
Calamba tenats: from Saturnina he learned the deportation of of
Paciano and other friends and relatives in Mindoro: Their parents were
forcibly ejected fro their home.

• He had the urge to see Queen regent Maria Christina but failed because
of no influence and power.


Misfortunes in Madrid
Rizal's Eulogy to Panganiban

• After a short time, Rizal learned that his Friend and co workerin the
propaganda movement, Jose Maria Panganiban, died in Barcelona due
to illness.
• He mourned the passing of this Bicol hero and made a eulogy for him.


Misfortunes in Madrid
Aborted duel with Antonio Luna
• During the social reunion of the Filipinos in Madrid Antonio Luna
become drunk.
• Because of Luna's alcohol-befogged mind he started uttering unsavory
remarks about Nelly Boustead, whom he had a frustrated romance
with.
• Rizal heard him and became angry because of his slanderous remarks
and challenge Luna to a duel.
• Luna chose to have sword fight, something that Rizal isn't good with as
he is a maste of pistol shot.
• The Filipinos were shocked but fortunately Luna realized that he made
a fool out of himself and apologize to Rizal.

Misfortunes in Madrid
Rizal challenges Retana for duel

• Retana, a talented Spanish scholar was then a press agent of the friars
in Spain.
• He used to attack the Filipinos including Rizal.
• He wrote an article in La Epoca. Asserting that the family and friends
of Rizal have not paid their rents so they were ejected from their
lands.
• The insult stirred Rizal to action and challenged Retana for a duel.
 • Retana at once published a retraction and an apology in the
newspapers.
• He had no chance to what so ever to Rizal on the field of honor for
Rizal is superior in both pistol in sword.
• The incident made Retana developed a great admiration for Rizal.
• Years afterwards he wrote the first book length biography of the
greatest Filipino hero.

Misfortunes in Madrid
Infidelity of Leonor Rivera

• One night in the autumn of 1890, Rizal and some friends attended the
play at theater Apollo and lost his gold watch chain with a locket
containing the picture of Leonor Rivera.
• The lost of the locket proved to be a bad omen.
• Early in December 1890, Rizal received a letter from Leonor
announcing her coming marriage to an Englishman.
• He was stunned and his heart broke.
• Weeks passed before Rizal confided to his friend Blumentritt.
• Blumentritt consoled him by sending comforting letters stating that
Leonor is not a woman to Rizal and that he is in loved with a nobler
woman the motherland

Misfortunes in Madrid
Rizal - del Pilar rivalry

• Rizal was then the undisputed leader of the Filipino in Europe; on the
other hand del Pilar the fearless lawyer journalist was gaining prestige
in Madrid for his La Solidaridad.
• He purchased the periodical from Pablo Rianzales and replaced
Graciano Lopez Jaena as its editor.
• Rizal tried to in abuse his compatriots and his own idealism for he
believed that to win the respect of the Spanish people, they must
posses high standards of morality, dignity and spirit of sacrifice.
 • His idealism was not shared by frivolous countrymen, who love wine,
women and cards.
• Some of his former admirers turned against him because they
resented his inference in their private lives.
• They become supporters of del Pilar.
• To avert the breakup between Rizal and M.H del Pilar, the Filipinos in
Madrid met on January 1, 1891 to patch up their differences.
• It was decided in this meeting that a leader called Responsible, be
chosen to direct the affairs of the Filipino community and to
determine the editorial policy of La Solidaridad.
• Del Pilar opposed on the ground that it was a private enterprise.
However he was willing to publish articles that would express the
aspirations of Filipino people.
• The proposition to place La Solidaridad under the control of the
responsible was abandoned.
• It was agreed that the Responsible was elected by 2/3 notes of the
Filipino community.

Misfortunes in Madrid
Rizal abdicates his leadership

• During the elections the Filipinos were divided into two camps, the
Rizalistas and Pilaristas.
• Having obtained 2/3 of the votes Rizal became the Responsible.
• Rizal graciously declined the position.
• He knew that some of his compatriots who supported del Pilar despise
or dislike him.
• He preferred to abdicate his leadership rather than be the cause of
disunity and bitterness among his countrymen.

Misfortunes in Madrid
Adios Madrid

 • Rizal wrote a brief note thanking his compatriots for electing him as
Responsible.
• He packed up his bags, paid his bills and boarded a train leaving for
Biarritz.
• It was the last time he saw Madrid.




CHAPTE R 18

Biarritz Vacation and Romance with Nelly Boustead (1891)

BIARITTZ

• It is filled with scenic beaches with tourist from all parts of the world.
• This place helped him to forget the bitter memories of Madrid.
• His health improved with remarkable willness in this place


FEBRUARY 1891- WHEN RIZAL ARRIVED IN BIARRITZ
• Warm welcomed by BOUSTEDS
As a family guests, he was treated with friendliness and hospitality.

• His one-month vacation in Biarritz made him forget the bitter
memories in Madrid.
a. Scenic beaches.
b. Refreshing breezes of Atlantic ocean
c. Festive atmosphere of the city

February 11, 1891. He wrote letter to Mariano Ponce

He said "I have put on so much weight since I arrived here, my cheeks are no
longer shrunken as before for the reason that I go to bed early and I have no
cares".

Romance with NELLIE BOUSTEAD

NELLY BOUSTEAD

• The prettier and younger daughter of Eduardo Boustead.
• He found her to be real Filipina, highly intelligent, vivacious in
temperament morally upright.
• With this romantic relationship, he felt invigorated to write and finish
his novel El Fibusterismo.


• February 4,1891 TEASING OF M.H DEL PILAR Changing the "o" in Noli
to an "e" which means Noli to Nellie.


ANTONIO LUNA

• He previously loved and lost Nelly.
• He encouraged him to woo and marry Nelly.

Rizal's marriage proposal failed 2 reasons;

(1) Refusing of giving up his CATHOLIC FAITH- converted to
PROSTESTANTISM

(2) Nelly's mother did not like Rizal as son-in-law. Because she had no
wish to entrust her daughter to a man who is poor in material things, a
physician without a paying clientele, a writer who was persecuted by
friars and government officials by his country.

NELLIE BADE GOODBYE TO RIZAL...
• They parted as friends


EL FILIBUSTERISMO FINISHED IN BIARRITZ
March 29, 1891

• The eve of his departure from Biarritz to Paris, he finished the
manuscript of El Filibusterismo.


REVISING THE FILI FOR PUBLICATION

May 30, 1891-The revision in apparently completed.

June 13,1891- Rizal informed BASA about his negotiation with the printing
firm.