Rio de Janeiro wasn't captured by the French in 1711?

[Vinization]

Battle of Rio de Janeiro - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

After defeating a French raid the previous year, the port of Rio de Janeiro was captured in September 1711 by a much larger fleet led by the experienced corsair René Duguay-Trouin and occupied by his troops until December, when they departed after receiving a ransom worth four million pounds. But what if Rio's defenses held?

The local governor was warned of the enemy fleet and mobilized a militia to defend the city, but Duguay-Trouin postponed the attack by several days in order to sail into Guanabara Bay under strong winds and pass through the fortresses protecting the city as quickly as possible. Because of this, the governor eventually thought the sighting of the raiders' ships (they were seen by local fishermen in Cabo Frio) was a false alarm and demobilized the militia he had assembled, making the city vulnerable right when the French finally attacked.

So here's the POD: Duguay-Trouin gets the weather he wants sooner, attacks Rio right away and is defeated by the local troops waiting for him.

What would happen to colonial Brazil if this humiliating defeat, and the huge indemnity that came with it, was averted? Could the capital be moved from Salvador earlier? What about the rest of the Portuguese Empire?

 

[Vinization]

Calling @Lusitania since he wrote a TL on 18th century Portugal and thus might be of some help.

 

[GeographyDude]

. . . and occupied by his troops until December, when they departed after receiving a ransom worth four million pounds. . .

Showing that much war of the time was mercenary, as well as pretty limited.

 

[Guilherme Loureiro]

So here's the POD: Duguay-Trouin gets the weather he wants sooner, attacks Rio right away and is defeated by the local troops waiting for him.

What would happen to colonial Brazil if this humiliating defeat, and the huge indemnity that came with it, was averted? Could the capital be moved from Salvador earlier? What about the rest of the Portuguese Empire?

First thing that comes to mind is some of the forts that were built in Rio as a response to that raid(Fortaleza da Laje - the older one, not the one which is being destroyed by the sea - also there were some small forts built to cover the land approaches to the city), don't get built for the time being; I'd still think Laje will eventually be built(because it sits in the middle of the mouth of Guanabara Bay), ensuring the misery of generations of soldiers unlucky enough to be stationed there.

As for moving the capital earlier... probably not, that was a Marquis of Pombal project. Besides, I reckon that, while the centre of gravity of Brazil was inexorably shifting southwards, it hadn't yet quite done that(by 1735, or maybe even by 1725, that would be another story).

 

[Kellan Sullivan]

If Duguay-Trouin stay away even if he gets defeated. Or might there be a second attack? Maybe the French navy getting involved?

 

[Vinization]

If Duguay-Trouin stay away even if he gets defeated. Or might there be a second attack? Maybe the French navy getting involved?

Duguay-Trouin was the second attack. I wonder if the French might go for easier pickings instead of trying to attack Rio a third time. I wonder if Salvador could be a target?

 

[Vinization]

Actually, I wonder if France could lose the War of the Spanish Succession without the ransom? 4 million pounds was a lot of money back then.