Conviction of Johan van Oldenbarnevelt. After the trial of Johan van Oldenbarnevelt, the States General published and distributed the text of the judgment. Van Oldenbarnevelt had played a key role in the religious struggle between the moderates and the extremists. Within two days of the pronouncement of the verdict the government authorised the publication of the 'sentence' in Dutch, French and Latin. A testimony of the government's recognition of the important role that pamphlets played.