Streltsy (nonfiction)

Streltsy (Russian: стрельцы́, IPA: [strʲɪlʲˈt͡sɨ], lit. 'shooters'; sg. стреле́ц IPA: [strʲɪˈlʲet͡s]) were the units of Russian firearm infantry from the 16th to the early 18th centuries and also a social stratum, from which personnel for Streltsy troops were traditionally recruited. They are also collectively known as streletskoye voysko (стрелецкое войско). These infantry troops reinforced feudal levy horsemen or pomestnoye voysko (поместное войско).

The first streltsy units were created by Ivan the Terrible sometime between 1545 and 1550 and armed with arquebuses.