Official
Mehmet Şemsettin Efendi
Muslim (Müslüman). Born in Istanbul (Dersaadet) in 1852/53 (AH 1269). On record 1873 to 1906, 34 annual entries.
Archive reference 5_128; 253
Life#
Mehmet Şemsettin Efendi was born in Istanbul in 1852/53 (AH 1269), into the Muslim (Müslüman) community, and the father's occupation was "Evkaf-i Humayun mucellidi". Schooling took seven years, at a middle school (Rüşdiye Mektebi); Mehmet Şemsettin also attended the telegraph school, and wrote Turkish and spoke French.
At about 19, in 1872/73, Mehmet Şemsettin began work in Istanbul, with two unpaid years as a mülazım (apprentice) before a first salary of 120 kuruş. Every annual entry from 1873/74 to 1905/06 places Mehmet Şemsettin in Istanbul, the birthplace, first in the Muhasebe Kalemi, from 1880/81 in the Icmal Kitabeti and from 1892/93 in the accounts office (Muhasebe Kalemi). Only 11 per cent of the 775 officials whose entries span 30 years or more stayed in one place throughout.
The salary went from 120 kuruş a month in 1873/74 to 1,000 in 1905/06, the peak, in the Muhasebe Kalemi in Istanbul, when 86 per cent of paid officials earned less. In all, 34 years of salary come to 242,040 kuruş, 1.2 times what an official on the median salary earned in those years. The final annual entry is for 1905/06.
Career and salary#
Log scale: equal steps are equal ratios. The median of the same title is drawn for the years in which at least 5 officials with that title had a salary.
The numbers of the chart
| Year | Salary | Median, all officials | Median, same title | Paid less |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1873/74 | 120 | 500 | 450 | 2% |
| 1874/75 | 170 | 535 | 340 | 6% |
| 1875/76 | 170 | 530 | 280 | 5% |
| 1876/77 | 170 | 582.5 | 400 | 5% |
| 1877/78 | 400 | 560 | 400 | 16% |
| 1878 | 400 | 600 | 400 | 17% |
| 1878/79 | 400 | 600 | 400 | 18% |
| 1879/80 | 380 | 500 | 380 | 22% |
| 1880/81 | 380 | 500 | 21% | |
| 1881/82 | 380 | 500 | 220 | 20% |
| 1882/83 | 400 | 500 | 220 | 28% |
| 1883/84 | 400 | 500 | 220 | 27% |
| 1884/85 | 500 | 500 | 42% | |
| 1885/86 | 500 | 500 | 42% | |
| 1886/87 | 500 | 500 | 42% | |
| 1887/88 | 500 | 500 | 41% | |
| 1888/89 | 700 | 500 | 72% | |
| 1889/90 | 700 | 500 | 73% | |
| 1890/91 | 700 | 500 | 73% | |
| 1891/92 | 700 | 500 | 73% | |
| 1892/93 | 750 | 500 | 182.5 | 76% |
| 1893/94 | 750 | 500 | 200 | 76% |
| 1894/95 | 750 | 500 | 250 | 76% |
| 1895/96 | 850 | 500 | 250 | 84% |
| 1896/97 | 800 | 500 | 245 | 86% |
| 1897/98 | 800 | 500 | 275 | 86% |
| 1898/99 | 800 | 500 | 262.5 | 85% |
| 1899/1900 | 850 | 500 | 300 | 85% |
| 1900/01 | 850 | 500 | 300 | 84% |
| 1901/02 | 850 | 500 | 340 | 84% |
| 1902/03 | 850 | 500 | 350 | 84% |
| 1903/04 | 850 | 475 | 350 | 84% |
| 1904/05 | 850 | 450 | 375 | 83% |
| 1905/06 | 1,000 | 475 | 400 | 86% |
Paid less: the share of the other officials with a salary that year who earned less.
Point at a year for its salary, title, place and the median of all officials paid that year. Choose a row of the table to mark its years in the charts and its stop on the map.
| Years | Title | Place | Salary (kuruş a month) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1872/73AH 1289 | First work | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 120first-salary field |
| 1873 to 1880AH 1290 to 1297 | Muhasebe Kalemi | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 120 to 380 |
| 1880 to 1892AH 1298 to 1309 | Icmal Kitabeti | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 380 to 700 |
| 1892 to 1906AH 1310 to 1323 | Muhasebe Kalemi | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 750 to 1,000 |
Record#
Personal
- Born
- 1852/53 (AH 1269)
- Birthplace
- Istanbul (Dersaadet)
- Community
- Muslim (Müslüman)
- Nationality as recorded
- Turkish
- Father's occupation
- Evkaf-i Humayun mucellidi
Education
- Rüşdiye
- Rüşdiye Mektebi (7 years)rüşdiye school (middle school)
- Higher or professional
- Telgraf Mektebitelegraph school; recorded as a code
- Unpaid years (mülazemet)
- 2 years
- Preparation route (classification of the paper)
- Low
- Qualification (diploma, certificate, training or nişan)
- No
The years count all schooling up to that school, as the record gives them.
Languages
- French
- tekellumspeaking
- Turkish
- Kitabetwriting
The glosses are cautious historical readings of the recorded words, not modern levels of proficiency.
First work
- Year
- 1872/73 (AH 1289)
- Place
- Istanbul (Dersaadet)
- First salary field (kuruş a month)
- 120
Recorded with#
Officials who share a place, a job title, a school, a birthplace or the year of the first annual entry. Ranks compare the highest monthly salary of each official.
Same place, same years
Of the 1,467 officials with entries in Istanbul in the same years, Mehmet Şemsettin Efendi had the 375th highest salary.
- Salahattin Bey34 shared years; highest salary 7,800 kuruş
- Suleyman Resat Bey34 shared years; highest salary 7,000 kuruş
- Mehmet Hayri Bey34 shared years; highest salary 5,500 kuruş
- Melkok Efendi34 shared years; highest salary 5,000 kuruş
- Mehmet Salim Bey34 shared years; highest salary 3,000 kuruş
Same job title, same years
Of the 197 officials with the title Muhasebe Kalemi in the same years, Mehmet Şemsettin Efendi had the 54th highest salary.
- Refet Efendi20 shared years; highest salary 1,480 kuruş
- Mehmet Hüsnü Bey15 shared years; highest salary 500 kuruş
- Hüseyin Rıza Efendi14 shared years; highest salary 1,500 kuruş
- Mehmet Faik Efendi14 shared years; highest salary 600 kuruş
- İbrahim Feridun Efendi14 shared years; highest salary 570 kuruş
Same school
Of the 3,206 officials with Rüşdiye Mektebi among their schools, 3,200 have a recorded salary; Mehmet Şemsettin Efendi had the 289th highest salary of them.
- Abdülhamit Efendiborn 1852/53 (AH 1269); highest salary 440 kuruş
- Ali Galip Efendiborn 1852/53 (AH 1269); highest salary 600 kuruş
- Ali Raif Efendiborn 1852/53 (AH 1269); highest salary 600 kuruş
- Ali Rıza Efendiborn 1852/53 (AH 1269); highest salary 3,150 kuruş
- Ali Riza Efendiborn 1852/53 (AH 1269); highest salary 400 kuruş
Same birthplace
Of the 1,999 officials born in Istanbul, 1,997 have a recorded salary; Mehmet Şemsettin Efendi had the 354th highest salary of them.
- Abdurrahman Serafettin Efendiborn 1852/53 (AH 1269); highest salary 25,000 kuruş
- Ahmet Muhtar Efendiborn 1852/53 (AH 1269); highest salary 2,500 kuruş
- Ahmet Refet Efendiborn 1852/53 (AH 1269); highest salary 3,000 kuruş
- Ali Galip Efendiborn 1852/53 (AH 1269); highest salary 600 kuruş
- Ali Rıza Efendiborn 1852/53 (AH 1269); highest salary 1,200 kuruş
First annual entry in the same year
Of the 69 officials whose first annual entry is for 1873/74 (AH 1290), Mehmet Şemsettin Efendi had the 16th highest salary.
- Abdurrahman Serafettin Efendifirst entry in Istanbul; highest salary 25,000 kuruş
- Ali Tevfik Efendifirst entry in Istanbul; highest salary 900 kuruş
- Mehmet Ali Efendifirst entry in Istanbul; highest salary 940 kuruş
- Hasan Tahsin Efendifirst entry in Istanbul; highest salary 480 kuruş
- İbrahim Ali Efendifirst entry in Istanbul; highest salary 800 kuruş
Full record
Annual entries (34)
| Year | Title | Place | Kuruş a month | Institution | Source | Archive reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1873/74AH 1290 | Muhasebe Kalemi | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 120 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 5_128; 253 |
| 1874/75AH 1291 | Muhasebe Kalemi | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 170 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 5_128; 253 |
| 1875/76AH 1292 | Muhasebe Kalemi | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 170 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 5_128; 253 |
| 1876/77AH 1293 | Muhasebe Kalemi | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 170 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 5_128; 253 |
| 1877/78AH 1294 | Muhasebe Kalemi | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 400 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 5_128; 253 |
| 1878AH 1295 | Muhasebe Kalemi | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 400 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 5_128; 253 |
| 1878/79AH 1296 | Muhasebe Kalemi | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 400 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 5_128; 253 |
| 1879/80AH 1297 | Muhasebe Kalemi | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 380 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 5_128; 253 |
| 1880/81AH 1298 | Icmal Kitabeti | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 380 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 5_128; 253 |
| 1881/82AH 1299 | Icmal Kitabeti | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 380 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 5_128; 253 |
| 1882/83AH 1300 | Icmal Kitabeti | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 400 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 5_128; 253 |
| 1883/84AH 1301 | Icmal Kitabeti | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 400 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 5_128; 253 |
| 1884/85AH 1302 | Icmal Kitabeti | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 500 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 5_128; 253 |
| 1885/86AH 1303 | Icmal Kitabeti | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 500 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 5_128; 253 |
| 1886/87AH 1304 | Icmal Kitabeti | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 500 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 5_128; 253 |
| 1887/88AH 1305 | Icmal Kitabeti | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 500 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 5_128; 253 |
| 1888/89AH 1306 | Icmal Kitabeti | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 700 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 5_128; 253 |
| 1889/90AH 1307 | Icmal Kitabeti | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 700 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 5_128; 253 |
| 1890/91AH 1308 | Icmal Kitabeti | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 700 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 5_128; 253 |
| 1891/92AH 1309 | Icmal Kitabeti | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 700 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 5_128; 253 |
| 1892/93AH 1310 | Muhasebe Kalemi | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 750 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 5_128; 253 |
| 1893/94AH 1311 | Muhasebe Kalemi | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 750 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 5_128; 253 |
| 1894/95AH 1312 | Muhasebe Kalemi | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 750 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 5_128; 253 |
| 1895/96AH 1313 | Muhasebe Kalemi | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 850 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 5_128; 253 |
| 1896/97AH 1314 | Muhasebe Kalemi | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 800 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 5_128; 253 |
| 1897/98AH 1315 | Muhasebe Kalemi | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 800 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 5_128; 253 |
| 1898/99AH 1316 | Muhasebe Kalemi | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 800 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 5_128; 253 |
| 1899/1900AH 1317 | Muhasebe Kalemi | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 850 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 5_128; 253 |
| 1900/01AH 1318 | Muhasebe Kalemi | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 850 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 5_128; 253 |
| 1901/02AH 1319 | Muhasebe Kalemi | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 850 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 5_128; 253 |
| 1902/03AH 1320 | Muhasebe Kalemi | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 850 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 5_128; 253 |
| 1903/04AH 1321 | Muhasebe Kalemi | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 850 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 5_128; 253 |
| 1904/05AH 1322 | Muhasebe Kalemi | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 850 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 5_128; 253 |
| 1905/06AH 1323 | Muhasebe Kalemi | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 1,000 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 5_128; 253 |
What the sources named in this table are
- Recovered annual personnel extract
- The merged annual personnel file recovered for the replication of the first paper. Annual entries are taken from it for every official it holds.
Sources and original values (15)
| Field | Recorded value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Identity | ||
| Name | Mehmet Şemsettin Efendi | Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract |
| Birth year (AH) | 1269 | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract |
| Birthplace | dersaadet | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract |
| Province of birth | dersaadet | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract |
| Father's occupation | Evkaf-i Humayun mucellidi | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract |
| Religion | Musluman | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract |
| Nationality or community | Turkish | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract |
| Schooling | ||
| School | Rusdiye Mektebi | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract |
| Years of schooling | 7 | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract |
| Telegraph school (recorded code) | 1 | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract |
| Years of apprenticeship (mülazemet) | 2 | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract |
| First work | ||
| First work: year (AH) | 1289 | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract |
| First work: Gregorian year as stored | 1872 | Recovered annual personnel extract |
| First work: place | istanbul | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract |
| First salary field (kuruş a month) | 120 | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract |
What the sources named in this table are
- Earlier annual personnel extract
- The detailed annual personnel file of October 2024. An official found only in this file keeps the years, titles and salaries it gives.
- Recovered annual personnel extract
- The merged annual personnel file recovered for the replication of the first paper. Annual entries are taken from it for every official it holds.
- Personnel attributes extract
- The detailed personnel file of September 2025, read for personal details such as birth, schooling and first work.
- Origin of the record: Post and Telegraph personnel records.
- 34 annual entries of 34 belong to the saved estimation sample of the paper.
How to read this record: calendar years, years without an annual entry, salaries and sources.
Subjects
- Mehmet Şemsettin Efendi
- Accounts office (Muhasebe Kalemi)
- Istanbul (Dersaadet)
- Rüşdiye school (Rüşdiye Mektebi)
- Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf)
- Muslim (Müslüman)
- Icmal Kitabeti
- Biography of an Ottoman official (Osmanlı memurunun biyografisi)
- Career and pay (memuriyet ve maaş)
- Ottoman history (Osmanlı tarihi)
- Ottoman bureaucracy (Osmanlı bürokrasisi)
- Ottoman officials (Osmanlı'da memurlar)
- Ottoman personnel registers (Sicill-i Ahvâl defterleri)
- Ottoman registers (Osmanlı defterleri)