The Streltsy

The elite guard of the Russian Empire from the 16th to early 18th centuries, the Streltsy were the first Russian military units to be armed with firearms.  Typically, the Streltsy were armed with a matchlock musket (arquebus) and a large battleaxe called a bardiche.  While the bardiche in itself was a deadly weapon, it also served as a support for the soldiers’ muskets when firing.