Vincennes, town in north central France, in Val-de-Marne Department, near Paris. Chemicals, rubber goods, machinery, and electrical and electronic equipment are manufactured here. The château to which the town owes its historical importance is built in the form of a parallelogram and includes a large, well-preserved interior keep. Begun by Louis VII in 1164, it was used as a royal residence until 1740. In 1832Louis Philippe fortified the château and turned it into a military depot. Henry V of England and Jules Mazarin, the French cardinal and statesman, died in the castle. Among its famous prisoners were the French statesman Comte de Mirabeau, the painter Jean Fouquet, and the philosopher and dramatist Denis Diderot. The duc d'Enghien, last prince of the Condé family, was falsely accused of espionage and executed in a trench nearby. Population (1999) 43,595.Microsoft® Encarta® Online Encyclopedia 2001
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