Exhausting wars throughout the turbulent 17th century, the weakening of the army and its inability to protect the state from enemy encroachments - all these reasons combined created the necessary conditions for the creation of another Russian army, the beginning of which was laid by the regiments of the new system.
Start
For the first time, it was necessary to think about the creation of new troops in a difficult and turbulent period of our history - in the Time of Troubles, scorched by the terrible threat of foreign invasion. During this period of strife, foreign legionnaires were hired into militia units to fight the Polish army. It was then that Mikhail Skopin-Shuisky, sincerely amazed by the well-coordinated competent actions of the Swedish infantry, steadfastly repelling the attacks of the Polish hussars, decided to organize an army according to a foreign model - Dutch and Swedish. The regiments of the new system, which consisted mainly of peasant militias, were assembled in Novgorod and numbered 18 thousand people. The Belgian Christier Somme taught them how to use weapons competently, focusing on tactics.the fight against the cavalry, in which a number of pikemen covered the musketeers with squeakers - the main weapon of that time.
First successes
Even hastily trained, the regiments of the new system in September 1609 won several significant victories over the Poles: they broke through the blockade of Moscow and returned several cities, pushing the invaders back. But the Time of Troubles made adjustments to further events. After the poisoning of Skopin-Shuisky, the army dispersed.
Thus ended the trial successful organization of regiments according to a foreign model.
Second attempt
The strategic need to return Smolensk, given to the Poles, and the revival of a strong combat-ready army became another impetus for the creation of new regiments in 1630. By the end of 1631, the Swedish and Dutch specialists who had embarked on this difficult task formed 2 regiments, each of which numbered 1,600 people. Initially, the recruitment of regiments was planned to be made from the children of dispossessed boyars, but they were not interested in infantry service, and it was decided to accept Cossacks and children of archers into the army.
The command of the regiments was carried out mainly by foreign initial people. Each regiment, consisting of 8 companies, was under the control of a colonel, lieutenant colonel, major and five captains. There were 200 soldiers in the company, of which 120 were musketeers and 80 were pikemen. The number of regiments grew rapidly: by the beginning of 1632 there were already 6 of them (9 thousand people).
From the middle of 1632, the creation of the first Reiter regiment fromboyar and noble children, whose number grew to 1721 by the end of the year.
A dragoon company was organized in its composition for the first time, and soon a separate dragoon regiment consisting of 12 companies was formed. Regiments of the new system in the period 1632-1634. represented the backbone of the army, 10 combat-ready units numbering 17 thousand people were created. They bravely fought, were brave and desperate, heroically showing themselves in battles with superior enemy forces, but Russia could not win the war. And at the end of hostilities, the regiments of the new system were disbanded. The second attempt to organize the troops was also only half successful.
Third stage
After several years, in 1638, the government resumed the formation of units of a new model to protect the borders of southern Russia. The royalist and general, Englishman Thomas Daleil, led the training of troops stationed in the Novgorod category.
The formation of the regiments led to the forced recruitment of contingent people who served from spring to autumn, and went home for the winter. This practice did not justify itself: the insufficient level of training associated with long holidays affected. Therefore, in 1643-1648, some southern villages and villages were nationalized, and the peasants were enrolled in dragoons.
Military reform of Alexei Mikhailovich
The middle of the 17th century in Russia was marked by an exceptionally important event for the country - by decree of Tsar AlexeiMikhailovich, a radical reform of the army began: strengthening the best parts of the old system - the elite Moscow local cavalry, Moscow archers and gunners, as well as the creation of combat units in the likeness of the regiments that had already shown their military skills.
In the conditions of the Russian-Polish war of 1654-1667. it was these formations that became the strong foundation of the country's armed forces. The regiments of the new system under Alexei Mikhailovich are soldier and dragoon units, staffed from subordinate people recruited for life service. National duty was introduced.
Reiter regiments were formed not only from contingent, but also from impoverished or dispossessed nobles, Cossack and boyar children. Noble hundreds in full strength were transferred to the Reitar system. A strategically important move was the separation of horse spearmen - hussars - from the Reiter. The Swedish experience in conducting combat operations and equipping a warrior was immensely useful, the similarity of the Russian and Swedish cavalry affected. Impeccable training and excellent equipment of the hussars favorably distinguished these formations among the Russian cavalry.
Pride of Russia
Shelves of the new system in the middle. 17th century were formed under the guidance of well-trained officers.
During the war, at least one hundred thousand soldiers were recruited and trained, who proved the viability of the idea of creating such military formations. By the end of the century, the regiments of the new system were already the best part of the troops, which later formed the basis of the regular victorious Russian army.
