The Concordat explicitly superseded the Pragmatic Sanction of Bourges (1438),[3] which had proved ineffective in guaranteeing the privileges of the Church in France, where bishoprics and abbacies had been wrangled over even before the Parlement of Paris: "hardly anywhere were elections held in due form", R. Aubenas observes, "for the king succeeded in foisting his own candidates upon the electors by every conceivable means, not excluding the most ruthless".
[a][7] The Concordat confirmed the King of France's right to nominate appointments to benefice (archbishops, bishops, abbots and priors), enabling the Crown, by controlling its personnel, to decide who was to lead the Gallican Church.
[6] Canonical installation of those church officers was reserved to the Pope; thus the agreement confirmed the papal veto of any leader the King of France chose who might be deemed truly unqualified.
The Concordat confirmed the Apostolic Camera's right to collect annates, the first year's revenue from each benefice,[6] a right that when abused led to shuffling of prelates among dioceses.
On Francis's part, it was at last firmly conceded that the Pope's powers were not subject to any council, an affirmation of the papal position in the long-crushed Conciliar Movement.