Irún and Pasajes gain independence. The university of Irún separated from the jurisdiction of Fuenterrabía in 1766, and the San Juan de Pasajes neighborhood in 1767. From then on, the old territory of Fuenterrabía was reduced to the area it currently occupies, plus the parish of Lezo.
War of the First Coalition (Guerre de la Convention). On April 23, 1793, the fort of Hendaye was destroyed from Fuenterrabía. The town of Fuenterrabía itself was bombarded the following July, and its territory later invaded. On August 1, 1794, facing the French advance, Fuenterrabía surrendered. The French army captured there:
| Quantity | Material |
|---|---|
| 2,000 | prisoners |
| 200 | cannons |
| 10,000–12,000 | rifles |
| 1,500–1,600 | tents |
| 4,000 | bombs, shells, and bullets |
| 30–40 | fishermen’s boats |
| 3 | two-masted ships |
| 1 | well-equipped gunboat |
The garrison was not evacuated until September, when peace was made, and even then, after having blown up the palace, the forts, and the walls, especially those facing Hendaye. The Gaceta de Madrid attributed the surrender of the town to the influence of its mayor Joaquín de Irarreta, the town councilors, and some citizens. For this, a council of war of general officers was held in Pamplona. After examining their conduct, the council d that the mayor, councilors, and citizens had contributed as much as they could to delay and prevent the surrender.
Incident with Irún, 1801. Once again, the people of Irún and Fuenterrabía clashed in 1801 during the passage of the Tuscan kings. By royal order of May 28 of the same year, both sides were instructed to mutually forget the events that had occurred, under the assumption that if a similar situation arose in the future, the king would determine in advance the rights in dispute.