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Infantry Units
Strelets (Russia)
| Strelets regiments constituted the basic force of the Russian army before the reforms introduced by Tsar Peter I. One might say it was the first Russian regular army. Strelets service was hereditary. Strelets were exempt from taxes, received a salary and could keep houses and learn a trade. The strelets history begins in 1550, when shooting units with pischals (a Russian type of fuse musket) were organized in 6 states (later called boards or regiments) with 500 soldiers each. They were situated in Moscow, in Vorobyov sloboga (the outskirts of the city). A regiment officers comprised a head (colonel), a major, sotniks (lieutenants) and uryadniks (sergeants). The strelets strength was about 7,000 during the rule of John IV, while by the crowning of Theodore Ivanovich (John's son) in 1584, more than 20,000 soldiers were numbered among the streets regiments. These fighters were armed with heavy fuse muskets or samopals (a Russian type of flint musket), sabres and pole-axes that they also used as musket props. The heads (officers) could be armed with a sabre and a partisan. Sometimes strelets units wore light chain mail. Their equipment comprised a fur cap, a long outer caftan, a zipun (a broadcloth camisole), porty (broad trousers) and gloves. A brightly coloured outer caftan was belted with a sash. Strelets regiments were abolished in Moscow in 1711 and vanished from the provinces after 1716. |
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