The Daily Life of the Streltsy

While being a Strelets means devoting your life to serve the our nation it does not necessarily mean you have an occupation you can live on in times of peace. Many of our Streltsy have settled in or around our capital and lead normal lives as shopkeepers, craftsmen or other less martial occupations on the side. While they do get a certain salary for being at our disposal this is by no means enough to support a family and the state has often tolerated and even encouraged the soldiers to have alternate means of income.\nSome fear, however, that our Streltsy are forgetting what it is to be a soldier, and that they lack interest in keeping their equipment up to date or in good shape.