Battle of Rio de Janeiro (1558)

The Battle of Rio de Janeiro was a battle in 1558 on the French town at Rio de Janeiro, called Henriville. The Portuguese, though in far smaller numbers, managed to defeat the French and make them flee to the jungle. The French town was then burnt by Mem de Sá, the Portuguese governor.

Background
Year before, Villegagnon and his friend and comrade, Admiral Coligny, managed to build a fort in the area of modern day Rio de Janeiro to which they called Fort Goligny. Calling Henriville to the town, the French grew in size and power and became a serious threat to the Portuguese establishment in Brazil.