Lütfullah Behçet Efendi

Lütfullah Behçet Efendi was born in Sivas in 1834/35 (AH 1250); the father was a steward (kethüda). At about 12, in 1845/46, Lütfullah Behçet began work in Sivas. Few began so young; fewer than 3 per cent of the 5,664 officials whose age at first work is known started at 12 or younger. The first annual entry, for 1845/46, places Lütfullah Behçet in Sivas, the birthplace, as Muhasebe kalemi stajyeri, where the entries run to 1853/54. For 1854 to 1856 the lists have no entry. The annual lists then follow Lütfullah Behçet to Istanbul in 1856/57 and Edirne in 1857/58, then back to Sivas from 1859 to 1867. The lists have no entry for 1860 to 1866. Lütfullah Behçet then moved to Amasya, Sivas and Şebinkarahisar (Karahisar-ı Şarki) from 1867 to 1876. The last posts were in Sivas again from 1877 to 1882, first as Asar Muduru, from 1878/79 as Adliye dairesi icra memuru.

The salary went from 300 kuruş a month in 1853/54 to 2,200 in 1878/79, the peak, as Asar Muduru in Sivas, when 91 per cent of paid officials earned less. That salary was paid for a single year, and the next list gives 855 kuruş. In all, 14 years of salary come to 178,644 kuruş, 2.5 times what an official on the median salary earned in those years. The last annual entry is for 1881/82.