The total effective force landed by the French was 3,300 men, besides 500 men suffering from scurvy who were in part ready for service in a few days. The Portuguese force was three or four times this number, but lacked an efficient leader. Through the cowardice and incapacity of the governor, Francisco de Castro de Moraes, who left the city with a part of his troops on the night of the 21st, the French effected a landing on the 22nd and took unopposed capture of session of the place, from which the frightened the people had fled to the recesses of the forests about Tijuca. Nearly five hundred of Duclerc’s followers, who had been confined in prison since their surrender the preceding year, were released and joined in the sack of the city. To their credit, be it said, they marked the houses of all who had been kind to them and thus saved them from pillage. Duguay-Trouin then demanded the ransom of the city, under the penalty of reducing it to ashes, and his terms were finally acceded to by the frightened governor, although a relief expedition was then but a short distance away. The ransom paid was 610,000 cruzados, 500 cases of sugar, and cattle sufficient for the fleet. Having thus avenged the defeat of his countrymen, Duguay Trouin withdrew from the city and harbor on November 13th, 1711. Since that date the city of Rio de Janeiro has never suffered an attack from a foreign enemy. Measures were at once taken to enlarge and strengthen the fortifications at Santa Cruz and Lage at the entrance to the bay, and on the islands of Cobras, Boa Viagem and Villegagnon within. The early history of the city does not show a very rapid or promising growth until the discovery of gold in Minas Geraes by the Paulistas in 1693 was announced. Its proximity to the new mines gave it great importance at once, so much so that, although it had been the capital of a captaincy for many years and the capital of southern Brazil since 1680, its first governor-general hastened to take up his residence there in 1697.

The city grew rapidly after this, and in 1762 was made the capital of all Brazil because of its greater strength and security from attack. On March 7th, 1808, Rio de Janeiro became the residence of D. Joao VI, of Portugal, who with his family and Court had been compelled to take refuge in Brazil to escape capture by the French.