They married immediately and fought together to defend the Roman Republic, which, nevertheless fell into French hands in 1849, restoring the Papal Government.
The group, who were conspiring against the government of Pope Pius IX, anticipated that a direct attack by Giuseppe Garibaldi on Rome would follow shortly after.
Francesco Arquati, his wife, one of their three sons, Antonio, and their comrades had gathered to prepare cartridges, restock the rifles of their arsenal, and be ready to support Garibaldi, in what they thought would be an imminent attack on Rome.
At around half past twelve, a platoon of papal zuavos from via del Moro, the perpendicular street in Trastevere attacked the wool-mill building.
The figures of Francesco and Giuditta Arquati became symbols of the struggle for the liberation of Rome and for years the inhabitants of Trastevere and their secular and republican associations commemorated the slaughter.