Rizal was a Filipino nationalist and writer during the 19th century Spanish colonial period. He was influenced by his mother and brother to pursue education and use his talents to help liberate the Filipino people from oppressive Spanish rule. He traveled extensively in Europe and Asia, publishing novels like Noli Me Tangere that criticized the injustices of Spanish colonial administration in the Philippines. Upon returning home, he was exiled and eventually executed by the Spanish, cementing his status as a martyr for Philippine independence.