The Streltsy Order is one of the leading institutions on the territory of the Vladimir-Suzdal Principality, from which the entire Russian Empire later grew. After the capture of the northeastern lands by the Golden Horde, local government was carried out through a network of special supervisory bodies - huts, from which full-fledged administrative "offices" - orders later grew. Few people know that the structure of internal management, modern for its time, was created during the reign of Ivan the Terrible.
Internal reforms and the Streltsy Order
The year of foundation of the new institution is 1571. The need to form an agency for the management of semi-independent archery and Cossack formations has been brewing for a long time. The expansion of the territory of the Moscow kingdom required a flexible system of control over internal armed formations. The old Streltsy huts could not fully ensure control over the streltsy troops, moreover, some of them were subordinate to local boyars. The new reforms completely reorganized the internal troops of Muscovy, directly subordinating them to the royal power through the formalized structure of the new administrative apparatus - orders.
Activities of the Streltsy Order
Initial targetThe creation of this body was to provide food and cash payments to representatives of the archery troops. The functions of the Streltsy Order were reduced to guard duty, patrolling the streets, and escorting valuable cargo. In addition, the archers performed the duties of modern fire brigades and even … scavengers.
The fact is that in the 16th century Moscow was no different from other medieval cities. Mud was a constant companion of Muscovites. Street cleaning was carried out before solemn events, such as the entry of foreign ambassadors or the departure of the royal family to numerous monasteries located in the Moscow region. This state of affairs did not suit anyone, therefore, severe punishment was fixed by decrees for those who threw carrion into the street or did not clean the area in front of their gates. Despite the rather harsh measures, the streets were cleaned carelessly and reluctantly, the pavements were repaired at the wrong time. Responsibility for the cleanliness of the capital's streets was assigned to the local police. However, the police were very small and had no real support. On the eve of ceremonial events, police detachments were reinforced by the forces of archers and Cossacks, who were sent by the Streltsy order. Their duties included monitoring the work of sweepers, scavengers and punishing those who did not comply with the king's decrees on the cleanliness of the streets. At first, archers were hired only in the spring for a period of one year, but soon this type of service could be extended automatically, and archers as guards or policemen could serve the city authorities for decades.
Powers of Streltsy orders
All material goods came at the disposal of the Streltsy Prikaz from other departments that controlled the collection of taxes from the taxable population and the black-haired peasantry. The distribution of money and compensation in kind was carried out under the control of the head of the order, which was personally responsible to the king for the well-being of service people. The Streltsy Order controlled the lands that were allocated "for feeding" the officers of the Streltsy formations, as well as those territories on which the Streltsy units were located.
It was the Streltsy order that was in charge of recruiting the formed units from the category of volunteers in a period of real danger. This state of affairs persisted until 1613, when part of the authority to manage the Cossack detachments was transferred to the newly created Cossack order. Soon the Streltsy order became a full-fledged police body - with the functions of investigation and inquiry. Such an expansion required an increase in the bureaucracy, and by the end of the 17th century, the number of clerks serving in the Streltsy Prikaz had almost doubled.
Order Leaders
At the head of the new departments are boyar judges, with several assistants. During the administrative reforms, the old Streltsy huts were led by clerks Grigory Grigoryevich Kolychev (1571-1572), Vasily Yakovlevich Shchelkalov (1573) and Luka (Rudak) Tolmachev (1578-1580). The very first person known to us was the head of the Streltsy order I. Godunov, whoheaded the department until 1593.
Decay
In the 17th century, the Streltsy Prikaz significantly expanded its powers and became one of the most influential departments in Muscovy. By the end of 1629, the Armory Sloboda, one of the first weapons centers of the future Russia, was transferred to his subordination.
In 1672, the number of archers and Cossacks increased so much that two additional departments had to be created for their full supply - an order for the collection of archers' bread and an order for the reception of archers' bread. The inhabitants of Pomorie paid the tax in cash. The collected bread was brought to Moscow to special grain yards, located not far from the Kaluga and Myasnitsky gates of Zemlyanoy Val. The reception and distribution of grain allowances were in charge of clerks and clerks, recruited from the elected archers of the capital's regiments.
Attempts to transform
In 1676, there was an attempt to expand the Streltsy order by transferring the Moscow elected soldier regiments to it, but by 1680 this decision was canceled. At the same time, city archers were withdrawn from the jurisdiction of the Streltsy order, and from now on, the order administered only the Streltsy metropolitan garrison.
Abolition of the Streltsy Order
The liquidation of the streltsy troops took place in the first years of the reign of Peter the Great. Constant exhausting campaigns, bribery and harassment by the top archery leadership led to a rebellion. In 1698, a failed attempt at an uprising led tonumerous massacres of archers. Tsar Peter took a direct part in the executions and tortures. In total, about two thousand archers were executed, about three thousand were branded and deported.
The bloodless Streltsy order turned into a fiction - he no longer had an army or money. Gradually, one of the most influential departments in Moscow is transformed into an ordinary economic and administrative institution. In the process of reforms, the Zemsky Prikaz was abolished, and, as a result, its functions were transferred to Streletsky, who at that time still had a significant bureaucracy and a working management system.
The Streltsy order was abolished on June 23, 1701. By a special royal decree, it was renamed the Zemstvo Affairs Order. A little later, he lost all relation to the army and internal troops - all these functions were transferred to the newly created department - the Order of Military Affairs.
