Frio Cape

The coast around Cape Frio became an early focus of European competition for brazilwood. A Portuguese expedition commanded by Gonçalo Coelho reached the region in 1503, with Amerigo Vespucci among its participants. A trading post associated with Vespucci was established at the shore now called Praia dos Anjos, in present-day Arraial do Cabo.

The valuable dye wood attracted foreign merchants, especially French traders who formed alliances with Tamoio communities. Portuguese claims consequently required repeated efforts to secure the coast. In 1615 Constantino Menelau established a fortified settlement in the Cabo Frio region. The headland and neighbouring anchorages thus belonged to a contested maritime landscape, where overseas demand for timber depended on local labour, Indigenous alliances and access to landing places.