The Cortona Crossbow Association has been re-established in 1994 thanks to a group of citizens. The main aim was and is bringing back to the top the ancient discipline of shooting arrows with a light manual crossbow and competing with the other crossbowmen belonging to the five quarters of the town. Over the years, this discipline has received high appreciation from the citizens of Cortona and has become a reason to challenge and compete with other towns practising the same discipline. There aren't any documents attesting the presence of this weapon in tournaments and wars in Cortona, but it is possible to indirectly trace the origins of the crossbow use in our town in the Middle Ages, as reported in the news recalling the participation of 1300 crossbowmen under Uguccio Casali's command to the Battle of Montaperti. Moreover, some crossbowmen are portrayed in the fresco by Lippo Vanni displayed in the City Museum of Siena, representing the Battle of Asinalunga in which Francesco Casali was one of the commanders leading the Sienese army; additionally some historic references report that about 800 of them came from Cortona. Finally, in 1400, two crossbowmen coming from Cortona on horseback took part in the Crossbow Tournament in Sansepolcro, as reported in the document dated on 10th September 1400 that officially established that tournament.
