Florante at Laura ni Balagtas

An epic masterpiece of war, betrayal, and unyielding romance.

Bound to a tree in a dark forest, the noble Duke Florante of Albania awaits his death after being betrayed by his rival, Count Adolfo. Stripped of his freedom, his kingdom, and his beloved Princess Laura, Florante is saved by an unlikely ally: Aladin, an exiled Persian warrior. Despite their warring faiths and nations, the two unite to overthrow tyranny and reclaim their true loves.

Written in 1838 by Francisco Balagtas, Florante at Laura uses rich allegory to mask a fierce critique of Spanish colonial oppression, standing today as a cornerstone of Philippine classical literature.