Official
Mehmet Sezai Efendi
Muslim (Müslüman). Born in Safranbolu in 1861/62 (AH 1278). On record 1884 to 1904, 19 annual entries.
Archive reference 102_23_41
Life#
Born in Safranbolu in 1861/62 (AH 1278), Mehmet Sezai Efendi came from the Muslim (Müslüman) community; the father was a tradesman (esnaf). At about 16, in 1877/78, Mehmet Sezai began work in Safranbolu, with eight unpaid years as a mülazım (apprentice) before a first salary of 380 kuruş. Fewer than 4 per cent of the 5,142 officials with a known apprenticeship worked unpaid for eight years or longer. The annual lists begin in 1884/85, with Mehmet Sezai as a communications official (Muhabere Memuru) in Erzincan. Mehmet Sezai then moved to six places in 16 years, from Ardos to Amran, with a rise to director of the second grade (2. Müdür) in 1898/99 and to director of the first grade (1. Müdür) in 1899/1900. The last posts were in Zabid (Zebid) from 1901 to 1904. The farthest post, Zabid, lay about 3,200 km from Safranbolu, and fewer than 2 per cent of the 5,162 officials with a known birthplace and place of service served as far from the birthplace. Seven provinces on two continents in all, a number reached by fewer than 4 per cent of the 5,200 officials with a place of service.
The salary went from 380 kuruş a month in 1884/85 to 1,500 in 1899/1900, the peak, as 1. Müdür in Amran, when 94 per cent of paid officials earned less. The final annual entry is for 1903/04.
Places in order of time#
Each number is a stop: the birthplace, the place of first work, then every place of the annual entries in turn. The year beside an arrow is the first entry at the new place.
Born 1861/62 (AH 1278); First work 1877/78 (AH 1294)
1894 to 1898 (AH 1312 to 1315)
No annual entry for 1893/94 (AH 1311) before it.
540 to 600 kuruş a month; entries in 4 years
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, and the median of the same province for the years in which at least 5 officials were paid in the province of the official's salary that year.
The numbers of the chart
| Year | Salary | Median, all officials | Median, same title | Median, same province | Paid less |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1884/85 | 380 | 500 | 400 | 500 | 18% |
| 1885/86 | 380 | 500 | 400 | 500 | 19% |
| 1886/87 | 380 | 500 | 400 | 500 | 19% |
| 1887/88 | 380 | 500 | 400 | 500 | 19% |
| 1888/89 | 380 | 500 | 400 | 600 | 21% |
| 1889/90 | 380 | 500 | 400 | 21% | |
| 1890/91 | 380 | 500 | 400 | 475 | 22% |
| 1891/92 | 380 | 500 | 400 | 475 | 24% |
| 1892/93 | 700 | 500 | 400 | 475 | 73% |
| 1894/95 | 600 | 500 | 600 | 600 | 60% |
| 1895/96 | 600 | 500 | 600 | 600 | 59% |
| 1896/97 | 540 | 500 | 540 | 540 | 61% |
| 1897/98 | 540 | 500 | 540 | 540 | 61% |
| 1898/99 | 1,200 | 500 | 800 | 800 | 93% |
| 1899/1900 | 1,500 | 500 | 1,350 | 1,000 | 94% |
| 1900/01 | 1,500 | 500 | 1,350 | 1,200 | 94% |
| 1901/02 | 1,500 | 500 | 1,350 | 1,200 | 94% |
| 1902/03 | 1,500 | 500 | 1,500 | 1,200 | 93% |
| 1903/04 | 1,500 | 475 | 1,400 | 1,200 | 94% |
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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1877/78AH 1294 | First work | Safranbolu | 380first-salary field |
| 1884/85AH 1302 | Muhabere Memuru | Erzincan | 380 |
| 1885 to 1889AH 1303 to 1306 | Muhabere Memuru | Ardos | 380 |
| 1889/90AH 1307 | Muhabere Memuru | Ayvalık | 380 |
| 1890 to 1892AH 1308 to 1309 | Muhabere Memuru | Edremit | 380 |
| 1892/93AH 1310 | Muhabere Memuru | Cide | 700 |
| No annual entry: 1893/94 (AH 1311) | |||
| 1894 to 1898AH 1312 to 1315 | 3. Müdür | Milapotamos | 600 to 540 |
| 1898/99AH 1316 | 2. Müdür | Amran | 1,200 |
| 1899 to 1901AH 1317 to 1318 | 1. Müdür | Amran | 1,500 |
| 1901 to 1904AH 1319 to 1321 | 1. Müdür | Zabid (Zebid) | 1,500 |
Record#
Personal
- Born
- 1861/62 (AH 1278)
- Birthplace
- Safranbolu
- Community
- Muslim (Müslüman)
- Nationality as recorded
- Turkish
- Father's occupation
- Esnaf
Education
- Rüşdiye
- Rüşdiye Mektebi (7 years)rüşdiye school (middle school)
- Unpaid years (mülazemet)
- 8 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
- Turkish
- Kitabetwriting
The glosses are cautious historical readings of the recorded words, not modern levels of proficiency.
First work
- Year
- 1877/78 (AH 1294)
- Place
- Safranbolu
- First salary field (kuruş a month)
- 380
Legal records
- Legal record note as worded
- işet / mübtela olduğu işret yüzünden ve mahallinen şikayeti ve merakiz-i mütecavire memurlarına olan itale-i lisanı ve kablo muhaberesini kasden tehire uğratması sebebiyle bin üç yüz yirmi iki senesi Şevvalinin on dokuzunda 14 Kânunuevvel sene 1320 idareten açığa çıkarıldığı; işret ve devamszılık / merkezde nöbetçi bulunduğu zamanlar taam bahanesiyle savuşup saatlerce merkezi memursuz bıraktığından ve geldiği zaman sekr haliyle vazife görememekte olduğundan bu halin diğer memurlara da sirayet etmesi mutalaasına mebni ıslah-ı nefs etmek üzere idareten üç yüz on bir senesi Zilhiccesinin yirmi birinde 13 Haziran sene 1310 azl olunup işretten feragat edip ıslah-ı nefs eylemesine nazaran üç yüz on iki senesi; İşret
- Years (AH) with a criminal-record mark in the annual records
- 1312; 1313; 1314; 1315; 1316; 1317; 1318; 1319; 1320; 1321
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 post (job title and place), same years
Of the 2 officials who held Muhabere Memuru in Edremit in the same years, Mehmet Sezai Efendi had the highest salary.
- Ahmed İzzet Efendi2 shared years; highest salary 600 kuruş
Same place, same years
Of the 2 officials with entries in Ardos in the same years, Mehmet Sezai Efendi had the highest salary.
- Bohur Badur Efendi4 shared years; highest salary 600 kuruş
Same job title, same years
Of the 1,155 officials with the title Muhabere Memuru in the same years, Mehmet Sezai Efendi had the 42nd highest salary.
- Mehmet Arif Efendi9 shared years; highest salary 3,600 kuruş
- Halil Habib Efendi9 shared years; highest salary 3,000 kuruş
- Mehmet Hulusi Bey9 shared years; highest salary 2,600 kuruş
- Mustafa Enver Efendi9 shared years; highest salary 2,000 kuruş
- Mehmet Tevfik Efendi9 shared years; highest salary 1,500 kuruş
Same school
Of the 3,206 officials with Rüşdiye Mektebi among their schools, 3,200 have a recorded salary; Mehmet Sezai Efendi had the 133rd highest salary of them.
- Ahmed Hulusi Efendiborn 1861/62 (AH 1278); highest salary 800 kuruş
- Ahmet Hamdi Efendiborn 1861/62 (AH 1278); highest salary 500 kuruş
- Ahmet Hamdi Efendiborn 1861/62 (AH 1278); highest salary 285 kuruş
- Ahmet Refik Efendiborn 1861/62 (AH 1278); highest salary 400 kuruş
- Ahmet Refik Efendiborn 1861/62 (AH 1278); highest salary 500 kuruş
Same birthplace
Of the 9 officials born in Safranbolu, Mehmet Sezai Efendi had the 3rd highest salary.
- Mehmed Rıza Efendiborn 1861/62 (AH 1278); highest salary 650 kuruş
- Mehmet Muhtar Efendiborn 1860/61 (AH 1277); highest salary 400 kuruş
- Mehmet Cemalettin Efendiborn 1866/67 (AH 1283); highest salary 500 kuruş
- Ali Beyborn 1849/50 (AH 1266); highest salary 2,400 kuruş
- İsmail Kemal Efendiborn 1874/75 (AH 1291); highest salary 400 kuruş
First annual entry in the same year
Of the 67 officials whose first annual entry is for 1884/85 (AH 1302), Mehmet Sezai Efendi had the 4th highest salary.
- Ali Rıza Efendifirst entry in Ohrid (Ohri); highest salary 500 kuruş
- Ali Rıza Rahim Efendifirst entry in Bitola (Manastır); highest salary 600 kuruş
- Hakkı Efendifirst entry in Malko Tarnovo (Tırnovacık); highest salary 540 kuruş
- Kigork Efendifirst entry in Thessaloniki (Selanik); highest salary 500 kuruş
- Mehmet Agah Efendifirst entry in Bitola (Manastır); highest salary 1,000 kuruş
All 67 officials whose first annual entry is for 1884/85 (AH 1302)
Full record
Annual entries (19)
| Year | Title | Place | Kuruş a month | Institution | Source | Archive reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1884/85AH 1302 | Muhabere Memuru | Erzincan | 380 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 102_23_41 |
| 1885/86AH 1303 | Muhabere Memuru | Ardos | 380 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 102_23_41 |
| 1886/87AH 1304 | Muhabere Memuru | Ardos | 380 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 102_23_41 |
| 1887/88AH 1305 | Muhabere Memuru | Ardos | 380 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 102_23_41 |
| 1888/89AH 1306 | Muhabere Memuru | Ardos | 380 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 102_23_41 |
| 1889/90AH 1307 | Muhabere Memuru | Ayvalık | 380 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 102_23_41 |
| 1890/91AH 1308 | Muhabere Memuru | Edremit | 380 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 102_23_41 |
| 1891/92AH 1309 | Muhabere Memuru | Edremit | 380 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 102_23_41 |
| 1892/93AH 1310 | Muhabere Memuru | Cide | 700 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 102_23_41 |
| 1894/95AH 1312 | 3. Müdür | Milapotamos | 600 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 102_23_41 |
| 1895/96AH 1313 | 3. Müdür | Milapotamos | 600 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 102_23_41 |
| 1896/97AH 1314 | 3. Müdür | Milapotamos | 540 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 102_23_41 |
| 1897/98AH 1315 | 3. Müdür | Milapotamos | 540 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 102_23_41 |
| 1898/99AH 1316 | 2. Müdür | Amran | 1,200 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 102_23_41 |
| 1899/1900AH 1317 | 1. Müdür | Amran | 1,500 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 102_23_41 |
| 1900/01AH 1318 | 1. Müdür | Amran | 1,500 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 102_23_41 |
| 1901/02AH 1319 | 1. Müdür | Zabid (Zebid) | 1,500 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 102_23_41 |
| 1902/03AH 1320 | 1. Müdür | Zabid (Zebid) | 1,500 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 102_23_41 |
| 1903/04AH 1321 | 1. Müdür | Zabid (Zebid) | 1,500 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 102_23_41 |
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 (18)
| Field | Recorded value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Identity | ||
| Name | Mehmet Sezai Efendi | Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract |
| Birth year (AH) | 1278 | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract |
| Birthplace | safranbolu | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract |
| Province of birth | kastamonu | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract |
| Father's occupation | esnaf | 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 |
| Years of apprenticeship (mülazemet) | 8 | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract |
| First work | ||
| First work: year (AH) | 1294 | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract |
| First work: Gregorian year as stored | 1877 | Recovered annual personnel extract |
| First work: place | Safranbolu | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract |
| First salary field (kuruş a month) | 380 | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract |
| Legal records | ||
| Legal record note as worded | işet / mübtela olduğu işret yüzünden ve mahallinen şikayeti ve merakiz-i mütecavire memurlarına olan itale-i lisanı ve kablo muhaberesini kasden tehire uğratması sebebiyle bin üç yüz yirmi iki senesi Şevvalinin on dokuzunda 14 Kânunuevvel sene 1320 idareten açığa çıkarıldığı used on this page | Legal notes (earlier workbook copy); Legal notes (later workbook copy) |
| Legal record note as worded | işret ve devamszılık / merkezde nöbetçi bulunduğu zamanlar taam bahanesiyle savuşup saatlerce merkezi memursuz bıraktığından ve geldiği zaman sekr haliyle vazife görememekte olduğundan bu halin diğer memurlara da sirayet etmesi mutalaasına mebni ıslah-ı nefs etmek üzere idareten üç yüz on bir senesi Zilhiccesinin yirmi birinde 13 Haziran sene 1310 azl olunup işretten feragat edip ıslah-ı nefs eylemesine nazaran üç yüz on iki senesi other value | Legal notes (earlier workbook copy); Legal notes (later workbook copy) |
| Legal record note as worded | İşret other value | Legal notes (earlier workbook copy); Legal notes (later workbook copy) |
| Years (AH) with a criminal-record mark in the annual records | 1312; 1313; 1314; 1315; 1316; 1317; 1318; 1319; 1320; 1321 | Later annual personnel extract |
What the sources named in this table are
- Legal notes (earlier workbook copy)
- A workbook of notes on legal records. The wording is kept as written. It may hold an accusation or an acquittal, it is not the finding of a court, and its year is the year of the record, not the date of an event.
- Legal notes (later workbook copy)
- A later copy of the workbook of notes on legal records. The same wording in both copies is one note, not two.
- Later annual personnel extract
- The detailed annual personnel file of October 2025. It marks single annual entries with a criminal-record flag and holds status words such as Vefat. For a death, the year is the year of the annual list in which the status word stands.
- 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.
- The sources give more than one value for a marked field. Every value is listed.
- Origin of the record: Post and Telegraph personnel records.
- 19 annual entries of 19 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 Sezai Efendi
- Communications official (Muhabere Memuru)
- Ardos
- Safranbolu
- Rüşdiye school (Rüşdiye Mektebi)
- Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf)
- Muslim (Müslüman)
- 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)