 Thereafter, it was generally the Holy See which appointed the bishops, alleging various reasons as vacancies arose.As a result, many Italian prelates held this important see until 1552, when Toul was occupied by France.In 1597 Charles III, duke of Lorraine asked Pope Clement VIII for the dismemberment of the See of Toul and the creation of a see at Nancy; this failed through the opposition of Arnaud d'Ossat, Henry's ambassador at Rome.