Job title
Çavuş
Sergeant (a lower service grade)
Group of job titles: Other kinds of work
Stored spellings: cavus
Note: The duty in this service is not stated in the records
64 officials held the job title Çavuş. Its 348 annual entries run from 1855 to 1909 (AH 1272 to 1326). The median of the 348 recorded monthly salaries is 300 kuruş, against 500 kuruş for the whole collection in the same years. The median entry paid 60 per cent of the collection median of its year. On average an official was paid more than 17 per cent of the other officials with a salary in the same year. Half of the officials have an entry in it in no more than 4 different years, and a quarter in 8 or more. It was the first title on record for 50 per cent of the officials and the last for 12 per cent. No other title is recorded for 6 per cent of them. The title held just before it by most officials is Polis (7 officials), and the title held just after it by most officials is 3. Sınıf Polis Komiseri (18 officials). The entries name 46 places. The place with the largest number of officials is Istanbul, with 16.
- Officials
- 64
- Years on recordAH 1272 to 1326, 52 years with an entry
- 1855 to 1909
- Median monthly salary0.6× the collection median of the same years (500 kuruş)
- 300 kuruş
- Places with officials
- 46
- First job title on recordfor 32 of the 64 officials
- 50%
What the job was
Sergeant (çavuş), a title of the lower staff. In the telegraph service the çavuş belonged, with the kavas, to the servants (hademe) of the offices, beside the clerks and the senior officials.
Rank and pay
A count for 1869, printed in 1871, gives 1,483 servants such as kavas and çavuş, beside 132 senior and central officials and 1,992 officials of telegraph offices. Their salaries, like those of the clerks, were monthly costs of a telegraph office.
History
Çavuş was an old title of the palace and the army, and çavuş and başçavuş remained titles in the reformed armies of Selim III and Mahmud II. In 1876 the minister Tingirzade Yaver Paşa complained that petty officials and sergeants had taken over the watching of the post and telegraph from inspectors who neglected it. In 1880 sergeant majors (başçavuş) replaced the abolished inspectorships for a time; İzzet Efendi wrote that most of them could not read and write.
Sources
- Davison, Roderic H. (1990). The advent of the electric telegraph in the Ottoman Empire. In Essays in Ottoman and Turkish History, 1774-1923, 133-165. Austin: University of Texas Press. Read in the Turkish translation by Durdu Mehmet Burak, OTAM 14 (2003), 347-386; pages are those of the translation.Pages or part: 362. Used for: rank and pay.
- Güneş, Mahir Melih (2026). Anadolu'da Telgrafın Toplumsal Tarihi (1856-1908). Doctoral thesis, Hacettepe University. Online copy (read 11 October 2026).Pages or part: 54, 108. Used for: summary, rank and pay.
- Köprülü, Orhan F. (1993). Çavuş. TDV İslâm Ansiklopedisi, vol. 8, 236-238. Online copy (read 14 October 2026).Pages or part: 236-238. Used for: summary, history.
- Okan, Ayşegül (2003). The Ottoman postal and telegraph services in the last quarter of the nineteenth century. MA thesis, Boğaziçi University, Atatürk Institute for Modern Turkish History.Pages or part: 49, 104. Used for: history.
Monthly salary each year
The same numbers as a table
| Year | Recorded salaries | Median | Mean | Lower quartile | Upper quartile | Median of the whole collection |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1855/56 | 1 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 450 |
| 1859/60 | 1 | 350 | 350 | 350 | 350 | 500 |
| 1860/61 | 4 | 375 | 362.5 | 312.5 | 425 | 500 |
| 1861/62 | 4 | 425 | 387.5 | 312.5 | 500 | 600 |
| 1862/63 | 3 | 400 | 366.67 | 300 | 450 | 500 |
| 1863/64 | 3 | 400 | 400 | 350 | 450 | 500 |
| 1864/65 | 3 | 400 | 400 | 350 | 450 | 625 |
| 1865/66 | 3 | 400 | 393.33 | 350 | 440 | 650 |
| 1866/67 | 3 | 300 | 333.33 | 300 | 350 | 600 |
| 1867/68 | 3 | 300 | 333.33 | 300 | 350 | 600 |
| 1868/69 | 5 | 300 | 252 | 160 | 300 | 600 |
| 1869/70 | 5 | 300 | 252 | 160 | 300 | 600 |
| 1870/71 | 4 | 290 | 285 | 250 | 325 | 600 |
| 1871/72 | 12 | 285 | 291.25 | 253.75 | 320 | 550 |
| 1872/73 | 11 | 285 | 318.64 | 282.5 | 300 | 550 |
| 1873/74 | 12 | 285 | 320.83 | 283.75 | 300 | 500 |
| 1874/75 | 11 | 285 | 322.73 | 282.5 | 300 | 535 |
| 1875/76 | 9 | 285 | 340.56 | 285 | 300 | 530 |
| 1876/77 | 6 | 300 | 380 | 262.5 | 360 | 575 |
| 1877/78 | 5 | 250 | 260 | 250 | 300 | 560 |
| 1878 | 5 | 250 | 260 | 250 | 300 | 600 |
| 1878/79 | 7 | 250 | 271.43 | 225 | 300 | 600 |
| 1879/80 | 11 | 300 | 298.27 | 261 | 350 | 500 |
| 1880/81 | 13 | 350 | 317 | 285 | 350 | 500 |
| 1881/82 | 16 | 325 | 320.12 | 285 | 350 | 500 |
| 1882/83 | 9 | 300 | 302.67 | 250 | 350 | 500 |
| 1883/84 | 8 | 300 | 307.38 | 273 | 350 | 500 |
| 1884/85 | 8 | 350 | 329.62 | 300 | 350 | 500 |
| 1885/86 | 11 | 300 | 320.18 | 300 | 350 | 500 |
| 1886/87 | 11 | 300 | 320.18 | 300 | 350 | 500 |
| 1887/88 | 12 | 300 | 318.5 | 300 | 350 | 500 |
| 1888/89 | 15 | 300 | 312.67 | 285 | 350 | 500 |
| 1889/90 | 14 | 292.5 | 295.71 | 258.75 | 337.5 | 500 |
| 1890/91 | 13 | 300 | 304.23 | 285 | 350 | 500 |
| 1891/92 | 10 | 292.5 | 300.5 | 285 | 300 | 500 |
| 1892/93 | 10 | 292.5 | 295.5 | 285 | 300 | 500 |
| 1893/94 | 13 | 300 | 311.92 | 285 | 350 | 500 |
| 1894/95 | 7 | 300 | 310 | 285 | 325 | 500 |
| 1895/96 | 6 | 292.5 | 287 | 258.75 | 300 | 500 |
| 1896/97 | 6 | 300 | 295.33 | 288.75 | 300 | 500 |
| 1897/98 | 5 | 300 | 307.4 | 300 | 350 | 500 |
| 1898/99 | 5 | 300 | 297.4 | 300 | 300 | 500 |
| 1899/1900 | 4 | 300 | 284.25 | 284.25 | 300 | 500 |
| 1900/01 | 3 | 300 | 295 | 292.5 | 300 | 500 |
| 1901/02 | 3 | 300 | 295 | 292.5 | 300 | 500 |
| 1902/03 | 3 | 300 | 295 | 292.5 | 300 | 500 |
| 1903/04 | 3 | 300 | 295 | 292.5 | 300 | 475 |
| 1904/05 | 2 | 292.5 | 292.5 | 288.75 | 296.25 | 450 |
| 1905/06 | 2 | 292.5 | 292.5 | 288.75 | 296.25 | 475 |
| 1906/07 | 2 | 292.5 | 292.5 | 288.75 | 296.25 | 450 |
| 1907/08 | 2 | 292.5 | 292.5 | 288.75 | 296.25 | 300 |
| 1908/09 | 1 | 300 | 300 | 300 | 300 | 350 |
Salaries are nominal monthly amounts in kuruş, as assigned. The thick line is the median of each year and the thin line the mean. A year with fewer than 5 recorded salaries is drawn as an open mark and is not joined to the line.
Pay against the whole collection
64 officials with a salary, each counted once in the band of the median of the official's salaries in this job. A bar runs from its number to the next; the last is 2,500 kuruş and more. Most officials (53%) are in the band 300 to 400 kuruş.
The same numbers as a table
| Median monthly salary, kuruş | Officials | Share | Whole collection |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 to 100 | 0 | 0% | 3% |
| 100 to 200 | 2 | 3% | 10% |
| 200 to 300 | 22 | 34% | 17% |
| 300 to 400 | 34 | 53% | 18% |
| 400 to 500 | 3 | 5% | 17% |
| 500 to 750 | 2 | 3% | 23% |
| 750 to 1,000 | 1 | 2% | 5% |
| 1,000 to 1,500 | 0 | 0% | 4% |
| 1,500 to 2,500 | 0 | 0% | 2% |
| 2,500 and more | 0 | 0% | 1% |
The median of the 348 recorded monthly salaries of this job is 300 kuruş. In the same years the whole collection paid a median of 500 kuruş. The median entry paid 0.6× the collection median of its year, and the middle half of the entries between 0.52× and 0.7×. On average an official of this job was paid more than 17% of the other paid officials of the same year.
The dot is the median, the box the middle half of the entries. Dashed lines: the collection median of the same years (1×) and the middle of the paid officials (50%).
Where the job was held
Not drawn, with the number of officials. No position recorded: Baniyas (Banyas) (1).
| Place | Officials | Remark |
|---|---|---|
| Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 16 | |
| Serres (Siroz) | 6 | |
| Beyoğlu | 4 | |
| Edirne | 3 | |
| Mosul (Musul) | 3 | |
| Üsküdar | 3 | |
| Aydın | 2 | |
| Beypazarı | 2 | |
| Bursa | 2 | |
| Enez (İnoz) | 2 |
Career paths: the titles just before and after
The number is the officials who made the move. Under it, the median change of the monthly salary: the first salary of the later title less the last salary of the earlier one, where at least 5 moves have both.
Held just before
The title of the entries just before a run of Çavuş. Pay: the change on moving from that title to Çavuş. The 8 titles with most officials, of 37 moves in all.
Held just after
The title of the entries just after a run of Çavuş. Pay: the change on moving from Çavuş to that title. The 8 titles with most officials, of 60 moves in all.
Of the 78 moves shown, 13 cross at least one year without an annual entry; nothing is known about those years. Two posts held in the same years are not counted as a move.
Time in the job
- Years with an entry in the job
- 4 yearsmedian over 64 officials
- A quarter of the officials
- 7.25 years or moreupper quartile
- Most years of one official
- 18 years
Years are years with an annual entry in the job, each counted once for an official. They need not follow one another, and nothing is known about a year without an entry. With two posts in the first or last year, both count.
Who held the job
Officials of this jobWhole collection
Community
64 officials with it recorded.
Age at the first annual entry in the job
64 officials with it recorded.
Province of birth
61 officials with it recorded. 12 other values not shown.
Schooling
61 officials with it recorded. An official can have several, so the shares add up to more than 100%. The groups of the schools recorded for each official.
Languages
63 officials with it recorded. An official can have several, so the shares add up to more than 100%. 2 other values not shown.
Qualification
64 officials with it recorded. A diploma, certificate, training or decoration (nişan) recorded in the schooling or the work.
Officials on record each year
The same numbers as a table
| Year | Officials on record | First recorded | Annual entries |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1855/56 (AH 1272) | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 1859/60 (AH 1276) | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 1860/61 (AH 1277) | 4 | 3 | 4 |
| 1861/62 (AH 1278) | 4 | 1 | 4 |
| 1862/63 (AH 1279) | 3 | 1 | 3 |
| 1863/64 (AH 1280) | 3 | 1 | 3 |
| 1864/65 (AH 1281) | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| 1865/66 (AH 1282) | 3 | 1 | 3 |
| 1866/67 (AH 1283) | 3 | 1 | 3 |
| 1867/68 (AH 1284) | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| 1868/69 (AH 1285) | 5 | 2 | 5 |
| 1869/70 (AH 1286) | 5 | 1 | 5 |
| 1870/71 (AH 1287) | 4 | 0 | 4 |
| 1871/72 (AH 1288) | 12 | 6 | 12 |
| 1872/73 (AH 1289) | 11 | 1 | 11 |
| 1873/74 (AH 1290) | 12 | 1 | 12 |
| 1874/75 (AH 1291) | 11 | 0 | 11 |
| 1875/76 (AH 1292) | 9 | 0 | 9 |
| 1876/77 (AH 1293) | 6 | 0 | 6 |
| 1877/78 (AH 1294) | 5 | 1 | 5 |
| 1878 (AH 1295) | 5 | 0 | 5 |
| 1878/79 (AH 1296) | 7 | 2 | 7 |
| 1879/80 (AH 1297) | 11 | 5 | 11 |
| 1880/81 (AH 1298) | 13 | 3 | 13 |
| 1881/82 (AH 1299) | 16 | 6 | 16 |
| 1882/83 (AH 1300) | 9 | 1 | 9 |
| 1883/84 (AH 1301) | 8 | 2 | 8 |
| 1884/85 (AH 1302) | 8 | 2 | 8 |
| 1885/86 (AH 1303) | 11 | 3 | 11 |
| 1886/87 (AH 1304) | 11 | 0 | 11 |
| 1887/88 (AH 1305) | 12 | 1 | 12 |
| 1888/89 (AH 1306) | 15 | 4 | 15 |
| 1889/90 (AH 1307) | 14 | 3 | 14 |
| 1890/91 (AH 1308) | 13 | 1 | 13 |
| 1891/92 (AH 1309) | 10 | 0 | 10 |
| 1892/93 (AH 1310) | 10 | 2 | 10 |
| 1893/94 (AH 1311) | 13 | 3 | 13 |
| 1894/95 (AH 1312) | 7 | 1 | 7 |
| 1895/96 (AH 1313) | 6 | 1 | 6 |
| 1896/97 (AH 1314) | 6 | 0 | 6 |
| 1897/98 (AH 1315) | 5 | 1 | 5 |
| 1898/99 (AH 1316) | 5 | 1 | 5 |
| 1899/1900 (AH 1317) | 4 | 0 | 4 |
| 1900/01 (AH 1318) | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| 1901/02 (AH 1319) | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| 1902/03 (AH 1320) | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| 1903/04 (AH 1321) | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| 1904/05 (AH 1322) | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| 1905/06 (AH 1323) | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| 1906/07 (AH 1324) | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| 1907/08 (AH 1325) | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| 1908/09 (AH 1326) | 1 | 0 | 1 |
An official is counted once in a year. First recorded is the first year in which the collection has an annual entry of the official on this page. It is not a hiring date.
Places
Show the other 21 places
| Place | Province | Officials | Annual entries | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hammar | Basra province | 1 | 4 | 1885 to 1889 |
| Keşan | Edirne province | 1 | 4 | 1891 to 1895 |
| Mersin | Adana province | 1 | 4 | 1888 to 1892 |
| Nevşehir | Konya province | 1 | 4 | 1872 to 1876 |
| Varna | Danube (Tuna) province | 1 | 4 | 1861 to 1865 |
| İnegöl | Hüdavendigâr province | 1 | 4 | 1884 to 1888 |
| Sivas | Sivas province | 1 | 3 | 1871 to 1874 |
| Ağrı (Karakilise) | Erzurum province | 1 | 2 | 1881 to 1883 |
| Polygyros (Poliroz) | Thessaloniki (Selanik) province | 1 | 2 | 1889 to 1891 |
| Afyonkarahisar (Karahisar-ı Sahib) | Hüdavendigâr province | 1 | 1 | 1883/84 |
| Aleppo (Halep) | Aleppo (Halep) province | 1 | 1 | 1889/90 |
| Hadımköy | Istanbul (Dersaadet) province | 1 | 1 | 1878/79 |
| Kahramanmaraş (Maraş) | Aleppo (Halep) province | 1 | 1 | 1878/79 |
| Katerini (Katerin) | Thessaloniki (Selanik) province | 1 | 1 | 1881/82 |
| Kočani (Koçana) | Kosovo (Kosova) province | 1 | 1 | 1882/83 |
| Lüleburgaz | Edirne province | 1 | 1 | 1888/89 |
| Samsun | Trabzon province | 1 | 1 | 1863/64 |
| Servia (Serfiçe) | Bitola (Manastır) province | 1 | 1 | 1883/84 |
| Tarsus | Adana province | 1 | 1 | 1893/94 |
| Tekirdağ | Edirne province | 1 | 1 | 1861/62 |
| Xanthi (İskeçe) | Edirne province | 1 | 1 | 1874/75 |
Ottoman officials recorded
64 officials, the one with most annual entries first. The first 25 are shown, the others are under them.
| Official | Years | Annual entries | Kuruş a month | Birthplace |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mehmet Sait Efend | 1878 to 1897 | 18 | 237 to 400 | Varna |
| Haci İsmail Hakki Efendi | 1881 to 1900 | 16 | 300 to 400 | Istanbul (Dersaadet) |
| Hayrullah Ağa | 1866 to 1882 | 16 | 285 to 300 | Zlatograd (Darıdere) |
| Halil Arif Efendi | 1871 to 1884 | 14 | 150 to 250 | Thessaloniki (Selanik) |
| Mahmut Cemal Efendi | 1868 to 1888 | 13 | 160 to 350 | Divriği |
| Numan Ağa | 1869 to 1881 | 13 | 234 to 300 | Serres (Siroz) |
| Abdullah Süreyya Efendi | 1887 to 1898 | 11 | 300 | Dobrich (Hacıoğlu Pazarcığı) |
| Sadettin Efendi | 1880 to 1891 | 11 | 300 to 350 | Istanbul (Dersaadet) |
| Hafız Hacı Aluş Efendi | 1862 to 1872 | 10 | 400 | Thessaloniki (Selanik) |
| Hüseyin Ağa | 1873 to 1882 | 10 | 285 to 300 | Serres (Siroz) |
| Kamil Hakki Efendi | 1884 to 1894 | 10 | 300 | Damascus (Şam) |
| Tevfik Efendi | 1881 to 1897 | 9 | 250 to 300 | Van |
| Huseyin Husnu Efendi | 1881 to 1889 | 8 | 300 to 350 | Crete (Girit) |
| Mustafa Sevki Efendi | 1883 to 1891 | 8 | 300 to 350 | Istanbul (Dersaadet) |
| Osman Efendi | 1861 to 1877 | 7 | 500 to 800 | Istanbul (Dersaadet) |
| Resul Sıtkı Efendi | 1868 to 1875 | 7 | 100 to 280 | Bitlis |
| Riza Efendi | 1888 to 1895 | 7 | 285 | Trabzon |
| Firdevs Efendi | 1898 to 1904 | 6 | 300 | Şarköy |
| İsmail Hakki Efendi | 1885 to 1894 | 6 | 300 to 350 | Istanbul (Dersaadet) |
| Mahmut Avni Efendi | 1871 to 1877 | 6 | 380 | Nablus |
| Mehmet Kamil Efendi | 1888 to 1894 | 6 | 285 | Nevşehir |
| Abdullah Efendi | 1871 to 1876 | 5 | 285 | Cerkezistan |
| Ahmet Şevki Efendi | 1871 to 1876 | 5 | 285 | Nigbolu |
| Mehmet Emin Efendi | 1860 to 1865 | 5 | 500 | Varna |
| Mehmet Hasim Efendi | 1885 to 1890 | 5 | 300 to 350 | Erzurum |
Show the other 39 officials
| Official | Years | Annual entries | Kuruş a month | Birthplace |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Abdullah Efendi | 1872 to 1876 | 4 | 280 | Nevşehir |
| Abdürrezzak Efendi | 1885 to 1889 | 4 | 285 | Baghdad (Bağdat) |
| Ali Ağa | 1877 to 1880 | 4 | 190 to 200 | Sidirokastro (Demirhisar) |
| İzzet Efendi | 1888 to 1892 | 4 | 250 | Yozgat |
| Mehmed Ziya Eefendi | 1894 to 1898 | 4 | 350 | Harput |
| Mehmet Tevfik Efendi | 1871 to 1875 | 4 | 285 | Bursa |
| Mustafa Hayrettin Efendi | 1888 to 1892 | 4 | 300 | Istanbul (Dersaadet) |
| Mustafa Şahin Efendi | 1884 to 1888 | 4 | 300 | Istanbul (Dersaadet) |
| Osman Efendi | 1865 to 1869 | 4 | 300 | Serres (Siroz) |
| Ahmet Dilaver Efendi | 1879 to 1882 | 3 | 350 | Sliven (İslimiye) |
| Ahmet Hamdi Efendi | 1863 to 1866 | 3 | 300 to 480 | Bolu |
| Bekir Zuhtu Efendi | 1879 to 1882 | 3 | 350 | Nevşehir |
| Esad Efendi | 1860 to 1863 | 3 | 200 | Harput |
| Hüseyin Hüsnü Efendi | 1859 to 1862 | 3 | 350 | Bitlis |
| Mehmet Enver Efendi | 1879 to 1882 | 3 | 300 to 350 | Istanbul (Dersaadet) |
| Mehmet Tevfik Efendi | 1871 to 1874 | 3 | 300 | Divriği |
| Ali Rıza Efendi | 1881 to 1883 | 2 | 250 | Avrathisar |
| Arif Bey | 1897 to 1899 | 2 | 350 | Chania (Hanya) |
| Eşref Efendi | 1889 to 1891 | 2 | 250 | Thessaloniki (Selanik) |
| Huseyin Husnu Efendi | 1880 to 1882 | 2 | 350 | Sliven (İslimiye) |
| İsmail Hakki Efendi | 1879 to 1881 | 2 | 350 | Istanbul (Dersaadet) |
| Mehmet Nezir Bey | 1881 to 1889 | 2 | 350 | Istanbul (Dersaadet) |
| Mehmet Şevket Efendi | 1892 to 1894 | 2 | 300 | Sevlievo (Servi) |
| Ömer Efendi | 1892 to 1894 | 2 | 250 to 300 | Arapgir |
| Salih Necati Efendi | 1890 to 1892 | 2 | 350 | Damascus (Şam) |
| Abdulkadir Efendi | 1881/82 | 1 | 285 | Tulcea (Tulça) |
| Abdulkadir Efendi | 1879/80 | 1 | 350 | Eskizagra |
| Abdülkerim Efendi | 1855/56 | 1 | 500 | Istanbul (Dersaadet) |
| Ahmet Ağa | 1860/61 | 1 | 400 | Plovdiv (Filibe) |
| Ahmet Tevfik Efendi | 1893/94 | 1 | 350 | Damascus (Şam) |
| Ali Rıza Efendi | 1883/84 | 1 | 285 | Istanbul (Dersaadet) |
| Hüsnü Efendi | 1889/90 | 1 | 250 | Sivas |
| Mehmet Ali Efendi | 1880/81 | 1 | 350 | Izmir (İzmir) |
| Mehmet Tevfik Efendi Bin Abdullah | 1882/83 | 1 | 300 | Belgrade (Belgrad) |
| Musa Efendi | 1889/90 | 1 | 185 | Arapgir |
| Mustafa Efendi | 1893/94 | 1 | 350 | Sliven (İslimiye) |
| Yasil Efendi | 1878/79 | 1 | 200 | Izmir (İzmir) |
| Unnamed official (0157_0182; 359) | 1893 to 1908 | 15 | 300 | Silivri |
| Unnamed official (0157_0217; 429) | 1895 to 1909 | 14 | 237 to 300 | Jableh (Cebele) |
Years run from the first to the last annual entry. An official without a recorded name is listed after the named officials.
How to read these records: years and calendars, what first recorded means, gaps between annual entries, and salaries.
Subjects
- Sergeant (Çavuş)
- Ottoman job titles (Osmanlı memuriyet unvanları)
- Labour history (emek tarihi)
- Salaries of officials (memur maaşları)
- Ottoman history (Osmanlı tarihi)
- Ottoman bureaucracy (Osmanlı bürokrasisi)
- Ottoman officials (Osmanlı'da memurlar)
- Ottoman personnel registers (Sicill-i Ahvâl defterleri)
- Ottoman registers (Osmanlı defterleri)