Early Romantic Connections: Segunda Katigbak and Miss L

Jose Rizal's first love was Segunda Katigbak, a Batangueña he met at his grandmother's house after graduating from Ateneo. This "puppy love" struck him deeply, and he described her as having "expressive eyes" and "a smile so bewitching" that she wasn't necessarily the most beautiful woman but certainly "the most alluring and beguiling."

Their unspoken romance consisted mostly of meaningful glances that Rizal believed "came to enslave my soul forever." Though they never formally declared their feelings, they understood each other through these silent exchanges. The relationship ended abruptly when Rizal learned Segunda was already engaged to Manuel Luz y Metra, leaving him sleepless and heartbroken.

Following Segunda came the mysterious Miss L, whose true identity remains unknown. Some biographers suggest she was Doña Concepcion Leyva (his landlady's daughter) or Vicenta Ybardo Laza (a pretty college girl from Laguna). Their romance "died a natural death" because Rizal's heart still belonged to Segunda and his father disapproved of Miss L's family.

Did you know? Rizal wrote in his diary that even while spending time with Miss L, "my heart and my thought followed K through the night to her room" – showing how deeply his first love affected him!

The Two Leonors: Valenzuela and Rivera

Leonor Valenzuela (nicknamed "Orang") became part of Rizal's life in 1878 when he was a sophomore medical student. She lived next door to his boarding house in Intramuros, Manila. Rizal described her as "a tall girl with a regal bearing" and expressed his affection by sending her love notes written in invisible ink made from salt and water, which could only be read when held near a lamp's warmth.

Though he visited Orang before leaving for Spain, their relationship wasn't destined to last. Rizal's friend José Cecilio helped maintain communication, but Rizal's heart was already turning toward another woman with the same first name.

Leonor Rivera became Rizal's most significant romantic relationship, lasting 11 years (1879-1890). They met when she was just 13 years old, studying at La Concordia College. As the daughter of Rizal's uncle Antonio Rivera, she was described as a "frail, beautiful girl" with "kindly beautiful eyes." Their relationship blossomed into an engagement while Rizal boarded at Casa Tomasina.

When Rizal left for Spain, their separation caused Leonor great sadness. Unfortunately, her mother disapproved of Rizal, then known as a "Filibustero" (subversive), and hid all his letters. Believing Rizal had forgotten her, Leonor eventually married Englishman Henry Kipping. In a heartbreaking act of devotion, she sewed ashes from Rizal's burned letters into the hem of her wedding dress.

Heartbreak note: Leonor Rivera died just two years into her marriage while giving birth to her second child. She had already borne a son named Carlos.

European and Asian Romances: Consuelo and O-Sei-San

While in Madrid in 1884, Rizal met Consuelo Ortiga y Rey, the daughter of Don Pablo Ortiga. She was considered the prettiest of the Ortiga daughters, and Rizal frequently visited their residence along with other Filipino expatriates. He dedicated one of his best poems to her, "A la Señorita C.O. y R." and gave her flowers as tokens of affection.

Despite their mutual attraction, Rizal never declared his love for Consuelo for two important reasons: his loyalty to Leonor Rivera back home and his friendship with Eduardo de Lete, who was "madly in love" with Consuelo. Rather than pursue a serious romance that might hurt both his distant fiancée and close friend, Rizal chose to back away.

In 1888, during his travels to Japan, Rizal met Usui Seiko $O-Sei-San$, a samurai's daughter who taught him the Japanese art of painting called su-mie. She also helped improve his knowledge of the Japanese language. Their relationship grew deep enough that Rizal wrote in his diary: "No woman, like you, has ever loved me. No woman, like you, has ever sacrificed for me."

Rizal might have married O-Sei-San and accepted a lucrative job offer from the Spanish legation in Japan if not for his patriotic mission. His commitment to the Philippines pulled him away from what could have been a stable, happy life with this "lovely and intelligent woman."

Cultural connection: Through O-Sei-San, Rizal gained not just romantic companionship but also valuable cultural knowledge and artistic skills that enriched his already impressive range of talents!

European Affairs: Gertrude Beckett and Suzanne Jacoby

While annotating "Sucesos de las Islas Filipinas" in London in 1889, Rizal boarded with the Beckett family. The oldest daughter, Gertrude (nicknamed "Tottie" or "Gettie"), was a "blue-eyed and buxom girl" who fell in love with him. She helped Rizal with his painting and sculpture projects, developing strong feelings for him.

In a letter, Gertrude revealed her attachment: "You are always moving; you are a funny little thing, now suppose if I had come with you, we should have had a dear little room and not apt fidgeting about so." Sensing her serious affection, Rizal suddenly left London for Paris. Before leaving, he completed a group carving of the Beckett sisters and gave it to Gertrude as a memento of their brief relationship.

In a letter to his friend Antonio Ma. Regidor, Rizal explained his departure: "I cannot deceive her. I cannot marry her because I have other ties which remind me of our country." His sense of duty to the Philippines and his previous commitments prevented him from pursuing the relationship further.

Later in Brussels, where he moved to escape Paris's high cost of living, Rizal lived in a boarding house run by the Jacoby sisters. There he met their niece, Suzanne Jacoby (often called "Petite"), with whom he fell "deeply in love." When Rizal left Brussels, Suzanne was heartbroken and wrote him poignant letters.

In one letter, she revealed her feelings: "Don't delay too long writing us because I wear out the soles of my shoes for running to the mailbox to see if there is a letter from you. There will never be any home in which you are so loved as that in Brussels." However, Rizal's stay was cut short by news about his father's legal troubles, forcing him to return to Madrid.

Love letter insight: Suzanne's affection for Rizal was so deep that she refused to eat the chocolate he had given her, keeping the box "intact as on the day of your parting" as a way to preserve his memory!

Final Loves: Nellie Boustead and Josephine Bracken

After losing Leonor Rivera to marriage, Rizal considered courting other women. In 1891, while staying with the Boustead family in Biarritz, France, he befriended their two pretty daughters. Nellie Boustead became deeply infatuated with Rizal, who often fenced with her and her sister at Juan Luna's studio.

The relationship became complicated when Antonio Luna (Juan's brother) also courted Nellie. At a party in Madrid, a drunken Antonio made disrespectful remarks about Nellie, prompting Rizal to challenge him to a duel. Fortunately, Luna apologized, preventing a tragic conflict between compatriots.

Despite their mutual attraction, Rizal and Nellie's romance failed for two reasons: Rizal refused to convert to Protestantism as Nellie demanded, and Nellie's mother disapproved of a "physician without enough paying clientele" as a son-in-law. They parted as friends when Rizal left Europe.

In February 1895, while exiled in Dapitan, Rizal met his final love—an 18-year-old Irish girl named Josephine Bracken, who came seeking treatment for her adoptive father George Taufer's eye condition. Described as petite with "bold blue eyes" and "brown hair," she captured Rizal's attention during his lonely exile.

Though Rizal proposed marriage, Josephine initially hesitated due to her responsibility toward the blind Taufer. After Taufer returned to Hong Kong, Josephine stayed with Rizal. When they tried to arrange their marriage, Father Antonio Obach demanded Rizal retract his "anti-Catholic" writings first. Refusing this condition, Rizal took Josephine as his wife without church blessing, with the consent of his family and friends.

Tragic ending: Josephine later suffered a miscarriage, giving birth prematurely to a stillborn baby. This personal tragedy added to the difficulties of Rizal's final days before his execution in December 1896.