The Streltsy (literally meaning “shooters” or “musketeers”) were originally established in 1550 by Tsar Ivan the Terrible (ivan)
As a permanent military caste paid directly by the state in cash and land, they replaced the unreliable feudal levies. They served as the elite shock troops of the tsars through the 16th and 17th centuries. However, due to their immense political power, they launched bloody rebellions against the Westernizing reforms of Peter the Great, leading to their violent dissolution in the early 1700s.
The most striking visual element is the iconic bardiche (berdysh). This massive, crescent-shaped battleaxe served a dual purpose: it was a devastating melee weapon and a sturdy support stand (bipod) that musketeers dug into the muddy or snowy earth to stabilize their heavy firearms (pishchal).
The soldiers wear traditional long wool coats known as caftans, paired with fur-trimmed hats. Across their chests hang the distinct leather bandoliers holding wooden powder containers—popularly called the “Twelve Apostles”—each containing a single pre-measured charge of gunpowder.