José Rizal (1861 - 1896)

José Protacio Rizal Mercado y Alonso Realonda (June 19, 1861 – December 30, 1896), was a Filipino nationalist and reformist. He is considered one of the national heroes of the Philippines, together with Andrés Bonifacio. Studying in Europe, he was the most prominent advocate for reform in the Philippines during the Spanish colonial era. He was wrongly implicated as the leader of the Katipunan Revolution, and that led to his execution on December 30, 1896, now celebrated as Rizal Day, a national holiday in the country.