Joan of Arc signs an abjuration at Rouen during her trial.
On May 24, 1431, Joan of Arc signed an abjuration in Rouen, a temporary acknowledgment of the ecclesiastical court's authority, in hopes of avoiding execution. In a short span, she was declared a relapsed heretic when she resumed wearing male clothing. The abjuration and subsequent defiance illustrated Joan's inner struggle and external pressure during her trial. This moment was a prelude to her inevitable martyrdom and showcased the complex interplay between faith and institutional power that defined her trial.