the portuguese had maintained a presence in the area since
explorers arrived in january of 1502 and, believing the bay to be
the mouth of a river, christened the region rio de janeiro ('january
river'). by mid-century they had yet to fully dominate the entirity of the brazilian coast, and their main points of strength
remained in the northeast of the country.
meanwhile, the french
elected to take advantage of the situation and establish their own
colony in guanabara bay, 'antarctic france'.