Originally, the town was a large village of the Tupinambá tribe. The first Europeans to settle it were the French, in 1612, who intended to make it the center of a colony named Equinoctial France, under the command of Daniel de la Touche, Seigneur de la Ravardière, and Admiral François de Razilly. They built a fort named "Saint-Louis de Maragnan" after King Louis XIII and his Saintly ancestor Louis IX, the construction of which marked the date of foundation of the city, September 8. Portugal conquered the settlement in 1615 in the battle of Guaxenduba and renamed the city "São Luís".