Varillas Carlota

A depiction of a 17th century Russian strelets armed with a musket and a bardiche for close combat fighting. These troops were initially formed around 1550 by Ivan the Terrible as an elite Russian professional firearm infantry. By 17th century streltsy became a larger hereditary military caste as service became lifelong and passed down in families. They lived in special settlements (slobody) and received pay or land. However due to meager means of living they started combining their military life with trade, crafts, and farming to survive. This dual civilian-military life gradually decreased their military effectiveness and their importance declined in 17th century as Western-style regiments expanded and took over most campaign roles, while the streltsy increasingly served as garrison and police forces. The discontent streltsy revolted twice over pay and status, and after their second revolt in 1698, Peter the Great essentially crushed them, executing and deporting many of them. Streltsy can ultimately be seen as a transition of Russian military into early modern age. Troops with a very interesting aesthetic that eventually outlived their purpose.