Francisco baltazar short biography

Renowned Filipino poet and writer

"Balagtas" redirects here. For other uses, see Balagtas (disambiguation).

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Balagtas and the second or maternal family name is de la Cruz.

Francisco Balagtas y de la Cruz (April 2, 1788 – February 20, 1862), commonly known as Francisco Balagtas and also as Francisco Baltazar, was a Filipino poet and litterateur of the Tagalog language during the Spanish rule of the Philippines. He is widely considered one of the greatest Filipino literary laureates for his impact on Filipino literature. The famous epic Florante at Laura is regarded as his defining work.

Balagtas adopted the legal surname Baltazar in fulfillment of the edict issued by Governor-General Narciso Claveria y Zaldua in 1849 that mandated the native population to adopt standard surnames. The name is commonly misspelled as Baltazar and sometimes misinterpreted as his pen name.

Early life

Francisco Balagtas was born in Barrio Panginay, Bigaa, Bulacan, as the youngest of the four children of Juan Balagtas, a blacksmith, and Juana de la Cruz. He studied in a parochial school in Bigaa and later in Manila. He later worked as a houseboy in Pondi, Manila.

Life as a poet

Balagtas lea

Quotes

Interesting quotes by Francisco Balagtas

“Sometimes, failure drives a person to strive and achieve success.”

“But, woe to me, unfortunate fate! What is the value of such an encouragement, if my love song in silence is already leaning on another lap?”

“I do not ask you to love, laugh and despise my poor poetry; do as you please and the harp is with you; don’t just change the verse.”

“When the famous warrior triumphed over the fierce beast, tears helped to loosen the shackles of the poor man left behind.”

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Bio

A brief biography of Francisco Balagtas

On April 2, 1788, Francisco Balagtas (aka Francisco Baltazar) was born in Bigaa, Bulacan, Philippines and wrote poetry during the Spanish colonial period. The well-known Filipino poet, José de la Cruz (Joseng Sisiw), guided and instructed Balagtas on how to write poetry in exchange for chickens. Due to the fire that burned through Udyong, Bataan, all of Francisco Balagtas’ handwritten works were destroyed. He is best known for Florante at Laura, a Greek epic he crafted into rhyme in the Filipino poetic style of awit.

Showing resistance to the Spanish rule, Balagtas constructed poetry in his native language of Tagalog instead of Spanish. In 1835, Francisco moved to Pandacan, Manila, where he connected with María Asunción Rivera. Becoming inspiration for his poetry, Rivera would later be cited as “Selya” and “MAR” in Florante at Laura. However, his muse had another admirer, Mariano Capule, who used his influence to have Balagtas thrown into prison. However, that didn’t stop Francisco from writing. It was then and there in his prison cell that he wrote Florante at Laura—later published in 1838 when he was released.

Moving to Balanga, Bataan, in 1840, Balagtas worked as an assistant to the Justice of the Peace and became a translator of the court. In 1842, Balagtas married his wife, Juana

Francisco Balagtas, later Francisco Baltazar or nickname Kikong Balagtas or Kiko, was born on April 2, 1788 in the barrio Panginay in the town of Bigaa, now known as Balagtas in his honor, in the province of Bulacan. He was the youngest of four children: Felipe, Concha, and Nicholasa. His parents were a blacksmith, Juan Baltazar, and Juana de la Cruz.

As a young boy, Balagtas loved to watch the land and hear the sound of the leaves. He saw beauty in the sparks caused by the pounding hammer of his blacksmith father. He even heard music in the sound of the horses' shoes.

Balagtas studied in a parochial school in Bigaa, where he studied prayers and catechism during his elementary years. Once Baltazar was eleven he moved to Tondo, Manila to work as a houseboy for his aunt, Doña Trinidad, who sponsored his studies. He enrolled at the Colegio de San Jose, where he graduated with degrees in Crown Law, Spanish, Latin, Physics, Christian Doctrine, Humanities, and Philosophy.

Dr. Mariano Pilapil taught him how to write while one of the most famous Tondo poets, José de la Cruz (Huseng Sisiw) mentored his poetry. Cruz challenged Balagtas to improve his writing, and even refused to edit Balagtas’ poetry. He continued to write more awits, corridos and moro-moros.

In 1835, Balagtas moved to Pandacan and met Maria Asuncion Rivera, who would later serve as a muse for his writings, such as in Florante at Laura as 'Celia' and 'MAR'.

Mariano Capule challenged Balagtas’ feelings for Maria. The influential Capule used his wealth to imprison Balagtas and marry Maria. In prison, Balagtas relates the parallels of his own situation in Florante at Laura.

During an age when Filipino’s wrote in Spanish, Balagtas wrote his poems in Tagalog. Scholars are lead to believe his poems reflect the abuses of the Spanish colonists.

Upon Balagtas' release from prison, he published Florante at Laura in 1838. In 1840, he moved to Udyong, Bataan and served as a Ma