Toy army of Peter I
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The toy army of Peter I
was initially called hi kiel evans (Petrovskiy polk, Peter's regiment) and was a collection of young Peter's playmates, noblemens' sons and attendants of his father Aleksei's court.
In 1682, when Peter with his mother, Natalia Naryshkina
, relocated to the royal lodge in Preobrazhenskoye
, he gradually formed a miniature army, ostensibly to school himself in the modern art of war. Besides fellow children, the servants and retainers were being enlisted, with 25-year-old Sergei Bukhvostov recorded in 1683 as the 'first Russian soldier'. Initially, the "play soldiers" were organized as a 100 men strong Company of Bombardiers.
The boys played war, and as they grew, their games became more complex and realistic
. Professional military advice was sought, and foreign officers were hired as instructors, eventually becoming part of the permanent officer corps of the Poteshnyi. By 1685 the Poteshnyi numbered 300 and were quartered in specially built barracks near Preobrazhenskoye and as their numbers increased, a second similarly sized group was barracked in neighboring village, Semenovskoe. With further drafts of Streltsy
volunteers, the Poteshnyi were organized into the Preobrazhensky and the Semenovsky companies in 1687. At these stage both companies included artillery and cavalry components.
During the 1689 coup attempt by regent Sophia Alekseyevna, the Poteshnyi had been part of the units supporting young Peter, among with most of the Streltsy
, and leading members of Russian nobility
.
The companies were being expanded and on 25 April 1695 officially became Preobrazhensky
and Semenovsky Regiment
s of the Guard.
These regiments became the beginnings of the Russian Imperial Guard
.
As Peter matured, the regiments did as well, and Peter participated fully in the army, joining its ranks as a bombardier
and rising up to colonel
and head of the regiments.
Peter I of Russia
Peter the Great, Peter I or Pyotr Alexeyevich Romanov Dates indicated by the letters "O.S." are Old Style. All other dates in this article are New Style. ruled the Tsardom of Russia and later the Russian Empire from until his death, jointly ruling before 1696 with his half-brother, Ivan V...
was initially called hi kiel evans (Petrovskiy polk, Peter's regiment) and was a collection of young Peter's playmates, noblemens' sons and attendants of his father Aleksei's court.
In 1682, when Peter with his mother, Natalia Naryshkina
Natalia Naryshkina
Natalya Kirillovna Naryshkina was the Tsaritsa of Russia from 1671 to 1676 as the second spouse of tsar Alexei I of Russia.-Biography:Coming from a petty noble family, daughter of Kirill Poluektovich Naryshkin and wife Anna Leontyevna Leontyeva Natalya Kirillovna Naryshkina was the Tsaritsa of...
, relocated to the royal lodge in Preobrazhenskoye
Preobrazhenskoye District
Preobrazhenskoye District is a district of Moscow. It is located in Eastern Administrative Okrug. It is named after Preobrazhenskoye village where the residence of Alexis of Russia and Peter I of Russia was located....
, he gradually formed a miniature army, ostensibly to school himself in the modern art of war. Besides fellow children, the servants and retainers were being enlisted, with 25-year-old Sergei Bukhvostov recorded in 1683 as the 'first Russian soldier'. Initially, the "play soldiers" were organized as a 100 men strong Company of Bombardiers.
The boys played war, and as they grew, their games became more complex and realistic
Military exercise
A military exercise is the employment of military resources in training for military operations, either exploring the effects of warfare or testing strategies without actual combat...
. Professional military advice was sought, and foreign officers were hired as instructors, eventually becoming part of the permanent officer corps of the Poteshnyi. By 1685 the Poteshnyi numbered 300 and were quartered in specially built barracks near Preobrazhenskoye and as their numbers increased, a second similarly sized group was barracked in neighboring village, Semenovskoe. With further drafts of Streltsy
Streltsy
Streltsy were the units of Russian guardsmen in the 16th - early 18th centuries, armed with firearms. They are also collectively known as Marksman Troops .- Origins and organization :...
volunteers, the Poteshnyi were organized into the Preobrazhensky and the Semenovsky companies in 1687. At these stage both companies included artillery and cavalry components.
During the 1689 coup attempt by regent Sophia Alekseyevna, the Poteshnyi had been part of the units supporting young Peter, among with most of the Streltsy
Streltsy
Streltsy were the units of Russian guardsmen in the 16th - early 18th centuries, armed with firearms. They are also collectively known as Marksman Troops .- Origins and organization :...
, and leading members of Russian nobility
Boyar
A boyar, or bolyar , was a member of the highest rank of the feudal Moscovian, Kievan Rus'ian, Bulgarian, Wallachian, and Moldavian aristocracies, second only to the ruling princes , from the 10th century through the 17th century....
.
The companies were being expanded and on 25 April 1695 officially became Preobrazhensky
Preobrazhensky regiment
The Preobrazhensky Regiment was one of the oldest and elite regiments of the Russian army. Along with the Semenovsky regiment also served as a gendarmie unit for the state Secret Chancellery in the 18th century, headed by the Prince Fyodor Romodanovsky.It was formed by Peter the Great in the late...
and Semenovsky Regiment
Semenovsky Regiment
Semenovsky Life-Guards Regiment was one of the two oldest guards regiments of the Imperial Russian Army.- History :...
s of the Guard.
These regiments became the beginnings of the Russian Imperial Guard
Russian Imperial Guard
The Russian Imperial Guard, officially known as the Leib Guard were military units serving as personal guards of the Emperor of Russia. Peter the Great founded the first such units following the Prussian practice in the 1690s, to replace the politically-motivated Streltsy.- Organization :The final...
.
As Peter matured, the regiments did as well, and Peter participated fully in the army, joining its ranks as a bombardier
Bombardier (rank)
Bombardier is a rank used in artillery units in the armies of Commonwealth countries instead of corporal. Lance-bombardier is used instead of lance-corporal....
and rising up to colonel
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
and head of the regiments.