The establishment in 1638 of Amsterdam’s first public theatre venue, the Schouwburg, caused a major enhancement and upgrading of local stock repertory. Spanish comedia was the new fuel. With Lope’s drama first, Spanish plays and playwrights were brought to the Schouwburg stage in a serial production. Crowds gathered for anything Spanish, and Spain’s victory over Dutch theatre life was complete even before the war was over in 1648. The paradox of Spain’s triumph in the heart of Dutch culture is centre stage in this contribution, exploring both the transfer route through Amsterdam’s Sephardic community, which facilitated so much successful import of enemy treasures, and analysing the public presentations that framed the Spanishness of the plays and playwrights as a new trademark for the Amsterdam crowds.