Francisco Balagtas, Date of Birth, Place of Birth, Date of Death

Francisco Balagtas

Filipino writer

Date of Birth: 02-Apr-1788

Place of Birth: Balagtas, Luzon, Philippines

Date of Death: 20-Feb-1862

Profession: writer, poet

Nationality: Philippines

Zodiac Sign: Aries

Francisco Balagtas (born Francisco Baltazar y de la Cruz; April 2, 1788 – February 20, 1862), also known as Francisco Baltazar, was a prominent Filipino poet, and 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. The surname "Baltazar", sometimes misconstrued as a pen name, was a legal surname Balagtas adopted after the 1849 edict of Governor-General Narciso Claveria y Zaldua, which mandated that the native population adopt standard Spanish surnames instead of native ones. His mentor was José de la Cruz, otherwise known as Joseng Sisiw.