What is the history of Rio de Janeiro, in Brazil? It seems like there is a fascination upon this subject, so we will be posting a series of articles related to the history of Rio de Janeiro, history of the coffee planatations, Portuguese Crown and Rio ´s importance in the world´s scenario.

The Rio de Janeiro history starts with the Portuguese claims on Brazil with the discovery of Porto Seguro by Pedro Alvares Cabral in 1500. Two years later on New Years day,1502, the inlet of Guanabara bay marked by the characteristic Sugarloaf is mistakenly assumed a river and called “Rio de Janeiro” which means “the January River” in English. Exactly who in Rio de Janeiro history is responsible for the discovery is unclear, but it is assumed that it’s either Andre Goncalves or the Florentine Amerigo Vespucci.

Below, a picture of Rio, 19th century by famous painter Jean Baptiste Debret.



In 1533, Brazil history continues by being divided into 12 capitanias (“Captaincies”). The Rio de Janeiro area of Guanabara bay is appointed to the Espirito Santo capitana. Rio de Janeiro history shows the area populated by the local Tamoio tribe which is curious about the new strangers from abroad. An expression which still remains in Rio even today has it’s origin from the natives; “Cari-oca”, which meant “house of the whites”. Today a Carioca represent a Rio inhabitant who is born and raised in Rio de Janeiro with parents from Rio.

At first the Portuguese took little interest in the southern areas of Porto Seguro and focused on extracting sugar in the north. The area of Rio de Janeiro was left for the French and renamed “La France Antartique” in 1555 by Nicholas de Villegagnon, a French knight of St.John.

The Rio de Janeiro history shows the first serious settlement called Sao Sebastiao founded in 1565 by Estacio de Sa, after the French are defeated and thrown out by governor-general mem de Sa. The early settlement developed slowly, located at the foot of today’s famous sugarloaf mountains for better defence possibilities.

Below, one of the first Flags of the Brazilian Colony.



1580 – 1640 in Rio de Janeiro history is marked by slow progression and continued attacks by the French and the Dutch across all of Brasil. After 1640, begins a time of missionary both to the north and south of Rio.

The year of 1693 is an important year for Brazil history; gold is found in Minas Gerais, just north of Rio de Janeiro and the time of the gold rush started!

Roads where built from Rio and out to the gold mines, and Rio de Janeiro became the primary shipping harbour of gold to Portugal. All kinds of fortune hunters immigrated to Brazil and Rio de Janeiro grew to become an economic sentre of the huge country Brazil.

Continued at Part II of "What is the history of Rio de Janeiro Brazil" post.