The Streletsky order is one of the leading institutions in the territory of the Vladimir-Suzdal principality, from which the entire Russian Empire subsequently grew. After the seizure of the northeastern lands by the Golden Horde, local government was carried out through a network of special regulatory bodies - log huts, from which full-fledged administrative "offices" - orders later grew. Few people know that the modern structure of internal governance was created during the reign of Ivan the Terrible.
Internal Reforms and Strelets Order
The year of foundation of the new institution is the 1571th. The need to form a department for the management of semi-independent archery and Cossack formations has long been brewing. The expansion of the territory of the Moscow kingdom required a flexible system of control over internal armed forces. The old Streltsy huts could not fully ensure control of the Streltsy troops, in addition, some of them were subordinate to local boyars. The new reforms completely reorganized the internal troops of Muscovy, directly subordinating them to tsarist power through the formalized structure of the new administrative apparatus - orders.
Activities of the Streletsky order
The initial goal of creating this body was to provide food and cash payments to representatives of the Streltsy army. The functions of the Streletsky order were reduced to guarding, patrolling the streets, escorting valuable goods. In addition, streltsy 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. Dirt was a constant companion of Muscovites. Street cleaning was carried out before ceremonial events, such as the entry of foreign ambassadors or the departure of the imperial family to numerous monasteries located in the suburbs. This state of affairs did not suit anyone, therefore, decrees fixed a harsh punishment for those who threw carrion into the street or did not clean the area in front of their gates. Despite the rather severe measures, the streets were not cleaned and reluctantly cleaned, the pavements were not repaired at the right 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 the festivities, police units were reinforced by the forces of archers and Cossacks, who were sent by the Streletsky 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 guardians or police officers could serve the city authorities for decades.
Powers of Streletsky orders
All material wealth came at the disposal of the Streletsky order from other departments that controlled the collection of taxes from the burdensome population and the black-mowed peasantry. The distribution of money and in-kind compensation was carried out under the control of the head of the order, which was personally responsible to the king for the welfare of the service people. The Streletsky Order ruled the lands that were allocated "to feed" the officers of the Strelets 'formations, as well as those territories on which the Strelets' units were located.
It was the Streletsky order that was in charge of picking formed units from the category of volunteers in a period of real danger. This state of affairs continued until 1613, when part of the authority to manage Cossack units was transferred to the newly created Cossack order. Soon, the Streletsky order became a full-fledged police body - with the functions of investigation and inquiry. Such an expansion required an increase in the bureaucratic apparatus, and by the end of the 17th century the number of clerks who served in the Strelets order almost doubled.
Heads of Orders
At the head of the new departments are the judges, the boyars, with whom there were several assistants. During administrative reforms, the old Streletsky huts were led by the clerks Grigory Grigorievich Kolychev (1571-1572), Vasily Yakovlevich Shchelkalov (1573) and Luka (Rudak) Tolmachev (1578-1580). The very first of their known persons was the head of the Strelets order I. Godunov, who headed the department until 1593.
Decline
In the XVII century, the Streletsky order 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 future Russia, was transferred to his subordination.
In 1672, the number of archers and Cossacks increased so much that for their full supply they had to create two additional departments - an order to collect streletsky bread and an order to receive streletsky bread. Residents of Pomerania filed money. The collected bread was brought to Moscow to special farm yards located near the Kaluga and Myasnitsky gates of the Zemlyanoy Val. The reception and issuance of grain allowances were in charge of the clerk and clerks, recruited from elected archers of the capital's regiments.
Transformation Attempts
In 1676 there was an attempt to expand the Streletsky order by transferring to it subordination of the Moscow elected soldiers regiments, but by 1680 this decision was canceled. At that time, city archers were withdrawn from the authority of the Streletsky order, and from now on only the Streltsy metropolitan garrison administered the order.
The abolition of the Streletsky order
The elimination of the Streltsy army occurred in the first years of the reign of Peter the Great. Constantly grueling campaigns, bribery, and harassment by the top archery leadership led to rebellion. In 1698, a failed uprising attempt entailed numerous reprisals against the archers. Tsar Peter was directly involved in the executions and torture. In total, about two thousand archers were executed, branded and deported - about three thousand.
The bloodless Streletsky order turned into a fiction - he no longer had either an army or money. Gradually, one of Moscow’s most influential departments is being transformed into an ordinary economic and administrative institution. In the process of reform, the Zemsky order 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 Streletsky order was abolished on June 23, 1701. By special royal decree, he was renamed the Order of Zemstvo Affairs. 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.