ArrivalofVillegagnon

On November 10, 1555, three French vessels — two warships and a supply ship — landed in Guanabara Bay. From there, around six hundred men disembarked, commanded by the vice-admiral of France, Nicolas Durand de Villegagnon. Unlike other Norman expeditions, this one would not be merely a raid backed by private individuals: it was a colonizing mission, commissioned by the king himself, Henry II. Thus began the project to found France Antarctique — so named because the navigators mistakenly believed that Rio de Janeiro was located south of the Tropic of Capricorn.

Image description: The image is an antique engraving depicting a map of South America. The spatial layout begins at the upper left, where a green island is seen, followed by a large red landmass that occupies most of the map. This land is marked with various names and geographic details written in small lettering. On the right, there is a blue area representing the Atlantic Ocean. At the center, the Tropic of Capricorn is highlighted, passing through Guanabara Bay. At the bottom, there is a yellow island with green vegetation. The map is signed "Map 1575T - Thevet" in the upper right corner.

Since the mid-1540s, the French and the Portuguese had been engaged in an intense dispute over control of Guanabara Bay. But, in the 1555 expedition, the Gauls came to settle. According to the Franciscan André Thévet — the official cartographer of the retinue —, the French were "received by the inhabitants in the most hospitable way possible." The natives' friendly attitude was not without reason: those Tupinambás knew of the rivalry between maíras (the French) and perós (the Portuguese). At the same time, the Portuguese were mortal enemies to most of the Tupinambás who inhabited those parts, and the Gauls could be allies against this common enemy. About five hundred indigenous people awaited the sailors on the beach, and the morubixabas — a kind of leader of their respective tabas — gradually came to seal relations with the newcomers.

Tupinambás using metal tools acquired from the French in exchange for the extraction of brazilwood and other goods from the land. Engraving from the work Singularidades da França Antártica, by André Thevet, published in 1558. Author: Jean Cousin. Fundação Biblioteca Nacional

Image description: This is a black-and-white engraving. In the image, we see three human figures in a natural setting. The central figure is standing, holding a metal tool, while two other figures are sitting on the ground, apparently observing. In the background, there is a large palm tree with broad leaves and hanging fruit. The spatial arrangement is clear, with the characters in the foreground and the palm tree dominating the background.

For two months, the French explored the region in search of the best location to build a fort. The structure was a basic requirement for the colonizing project, as it would guarantee defense against the Portuguese — and against the Tupinambás, should they rebel. Villegagnon decided to install the fortress on a small island, close to the mainland at a distance of a cannon shot. The islet's position was strategic: from there, it was possible to control the entry of rival vessels into Guanabara Bay. Over months of relentless work, Fort Coligny was erected — named in honor of the greatest enthusiast of the Antarctic France project, the Minister for Overseas Affairs, Gaspard de Coligny. The fortress was located right in the center of what the Tupinambás called Serigipe, "island of the crab water" — present-day Villegagnon Island.

Image description: The image is an old black-and-white engraving. At the top is written "LA FRANCE ANTARCTIQUE autrement LE RIO IANEIRO." Below, there is a scale and a detailed map of the region. On the left, several villages and geographic points are labeled, including "Toupinam-bous," "Uresil," and "Mer du Bresil." On the right, the "Fort de Coligni" is marked. The map shows the location of the villages and demarcates the French territory in the region.