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Ottoman BureaucracyPeople, places and careers in Ottoman public service

Official

Rafael Musa

Jewish (Musevi). Born in Aleppo (Halep) in 1873/74 (AH 1290). On record 1885 to 1905, 16 annual entries.

Life

Born in Aleppo (Halep) in 1873/74 (AH 1290), Rafael Musa came from the Jewish (Musevi) community; the father was a merchant (tüccar). Schooling took four years, at a community school (Millet Mektebi).

At about 13, in 1885/86, Rafael Musa began work in Aleppo, paid from the start, on 380 kuruş a month. Few began so young; fewer than 6 per cent of the 5,128 officials whose age at first work is known started at 13 or younger. The annual lists begin in 1885/86, with Rafael Musa as a chief official for foreign communications (Muhaberat-ı Ecnebiye Başmemuru) in Aleppo, the birthplace, where the entries run to 1891/92. Next came seven places in eight years, from Adana to Izmir (İzmir). The lists have no entry for 1900 to 1904. The last post was in Chios (Sakız) in 1904/05, with a rise to postal official (Posta Memuru). Few officials served in as many provinces; fewer than 4 per cent of the 5,200 officials with a place of service did.

The salary went from 380 kuruş a month in 1885/86 to 1,000 in 1898/99, the peak, as Muhaberat-ı Ecnebiye Başmemuru in Jerusalem, when nine in ten paid officials earned less. That salary was paid for a single year, and the next list gives 500 kuruş. The final annual entry is for 1904/05.

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.

All 9 stops
birthplaceplace of annual entriesmove, with the year of the first entry there
1892/931894/951896/971897/981898/991899/19001904/05123456789AleppoAdanaMersinDiyarbakırVolosJerusalemIzmirChios
  1. Aleppo (Halep)

    Born 1873/74 (AH 1290); First work 1885/86 (AH 1303); 1885 to 1892 (AH 1303 to 1309)

    Muhaberat-ı Ecnebiye Başmemuru

    380 to 500 kuruş a month; entries in 7 years

  2. Adana

    1892/93 (AH 1310)

    Muhaberat-ı Ecnebiye Başmemuru

    500 kuruş a month; entries in 1 year

  3. Mersin

    1893/94 (AH 1311)

    Muhaberat-ı Ecnebiye Başmemuru

    500 kuruş a month; entries in 1 year

  4. Diyarbakır

    1894 to 1896 (AH 1312 to 1313)

    Muhaberat-ı Ecnebiye Başmemuru

    400 kuruş a month; entries in 2 years

  5. Aleppo (Halep)

    1896/97 (AH 1314)

    Muhaberat-ı Ecnebiye Başmemuru

    400 kuruş a month; entries in 1 year

  6. Volos (Golos)

    1897/98 (AH 1315)

    Muhaberat-ı Ecnebiye Başmemuru

    600 kuruş a month; entries in 1 year

  7. Jerusalem (Kudüs)

    1898/99 (AH 1316)

    Muhaberat-ı Ecnebiye Başmemuru

    1,000 kuruş a month; entries in 1 year

  8. Izmir (İzmir)

    1899/1900 (AH 1317)

    Muhaberat-ı Ecnebiye Başmemuru

    500 kuruş a month; entries in 1 year

  9. Chios (Sakız)

    1904/05 (AH 1322)

    No annual entry for 1900 to 1904 (AH 1318 to 1321) before it.

    Posta Memuru

    545 kuruş a month; entries in 1 year

Career and salary

Monthly salary by year, kuruşsalary of the yearyears with one job titleno annual entry
no entry05001,0001885/86AH 13031886/87AH 13041887/88AH 13051888/89AH 13061889/90AH 13071890/91AH 13081891/92AH 13091892/93AH 13101893/94AH 13111894/95AH 13121895/96AH 13131896/97AH 13141897/98AH 13151898/99AH 13161899/1900AH 13171900/01AH 13181901/02AH 13191902/03AH 13201903/04AH 13211904/05AH 13221,000 kuruşMuhaberat-ı Ecnebiye Başmemuru
Salary against the medians of the same year
2005001,0001885/86AH 13031886/87AH 13041887/88AH 13051888/89AH 13061889/90AH 13071890/91AH 13081891/92AH 13091892/93AH 13101893/94AH 13111894/95AH 13121895/96AH 13131896/97AH 13141897/98AH 13151898/99AH 13161899/1900AH 13171900/01AH 13181901/02AH 13191902/03AH 13201903/04AH 13211904/05AH 1322This officialMedian, all officialsMedian, same title

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
Salary of Rafael Musa against the medians of the same year, kuruş a month
YearSalaryMedian, all officialsMedian, same titlePaid less
1885/8638050076019%
1886/8738050076019%
1887/8840050076027%
1888/8940050076027%
1889/9040050078027%
1890/9150050080043%
1891/9250050078043%
1892/9350050075044%
1893/9450050070046%
1894/9540050070030%
1895/9640050080030%
1896/9740050063032%
1897/9860050060073%
1898/991,00050054090%
1899/190050050058547%
1904/0554545040065%

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.

Career of Rafael Musa, one row per stage
YearsTitlePlaceSalary (kuruş a month)
1885/86AH 1303First workAleppo (Halep)380first-salary field
1885 to 1892AH 1303 to 1309Muhaberat-ı Ecnebiye Başmemuru
7 entries
YearSalary
1885/86380
1886/87380
1887/88400
1888/89400
1889/90400
1890/91500
1891/92500
Aleppo (Halep)380 to 500
1892/93AH 1310Muhaberat-ı Ecnebiye BaşmemuruAdana500
1893/94AH 1311Muhaberat-ı Ecnebiye BaşmemuruMersin500
1894 to 1896AH 1312 to 1313Muhaberat-ı Ecnebiye Başmemuru
2 entries
YearSalary
1894/95400
1895/96400
Diyarbakır400
1896/97AH 1314Muhaberat-ı Ecnebiye BaşmemuruAleppo (Halep)400
1897/98AH 1315Muhaberat-ı Ecnebiye BaşmemuruVolos (Golos)600
1898/99AH 1316Muhaberat-ı Ecnebiye BaşmemuruJerusalem (Kudüs)1,000
1899/1900AH 1317Muhaberat-ı Ecnebiye BaşmemuruIzmir (İzmir)500
No annual entry: 1900 to 1904 (AH 1318 to 1321)
1904/05AH 1322Posta MemuruChios (Sakız)545

Record

Personal

Born
1873/74 (AH 1290)
Birthplace
Aleppo (Halep)
Community
Jewish (Musevi)
Nationality as recorded
Yahudi
Father's occupation
Tuccar

Education

Community school
Millet Mektebi (4 years)community school (school of a non-Muslim community)
Unpaid years (mülazemet)
0 years
Preparation route (classification of the paper)
Low
Qualification (diploma, certificate, training or nişan)
NoShown as in the flag of the paper. The qualification column of the recovered extract gives yes.

The years count all schooling up to that school, as the record gives them.

First work

Year
1885/86 (AH 1303)
First salary field (kuruş a month)
380

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 69 officials with entries in Aleppo (Halep) in the same years, Rafael Musa had the 22nd highest salary.

All 221 officials with entries in Aleppo (Halep)

Same job title, same years

Of the 27 officials with the title Muhaberat-ı Ecnebiye Başmemuru in the same years, Rafael Musa had the 8th highest salary.

All 51 officials with the title Muhaberat-ı Ecnebiye Başmemuru

Same school

Of the 263 officials with Millet Mektebi among their schools, Rafael Musa had the 16th highest salary.

All 263 officials with Millet Mektebi

Same birthplace

Of the 67 officials born in Aleppo (Halep), Rafael Musa had the 7th highest salary.

The page of Aleppo (Halep), with the 67 officials born there

First annual entry in the same year

Of the 93 officials whose first annual entry is for 1885/86 (AH 1303), Rafael Musa had the 14th highest salary.

Full record

Annual entries (16)

Annual entries of Rafael Musa
YearTitlePlaceKuruş a monthInstitutionSourceArchive reference
1885/86AH 1303Muhaberat-ı Ecnebiye BaşmemuruAleppo (Halep)380Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf)Recovered annual personnel extract69_289
1886/87AH 1304Muhaberat-ı Ecnebiye BaşmemuruAleppo (Halep)380Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf)Recovered annual personnel extract69_289
1887/88AH 1305Muhaberat-ı Ecnebiye BaşmemuruAleppo (Halep)400Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf)Recovered annual personnel extract69_289
1888/89AH 1306Muhaberat-ı Ecnebiye BaşmemuruAleppo (Halep)400Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf)Recovered annual personnel extract69_289
1889/90AH 1307Muhaberat-ı Ecnebiye BaşmemuruAleppo (Halep)400Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf)Recovered annual personnel extract69_289
1890/91AH 1308Muhaberat-ı Ecnebiye BaşmemuruAleppo (Halep)500Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf)Recovered annual personnel extract69_289
1891/92AH 1309Muhaberat-ı Ecnebiye BaşmemuruAleppo (Halep)500Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf)Recovered annual personnel extract69_289
1892/93AH 1310Muhaberat-ı Ecnebiye BaşmemuruAdana500Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf)Recovered annual personnel extract69_289
1893/94AH 1311Muhaberat-ı Ecnebiye BaşmemuruMersin500Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf)Recovered annual personnel extract69_289
1894/95AH 1312Muhaberat-ı Ecnebiye BaşmemuruDiyarbakır400Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf)Recovered annual personnel extract69_289
1895/96AH 1313Muhaberat-ı Ecnebiye BaşmemuruDiyarbakır400Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf)Recovered annual personnel extract69_289
1896/97AH 1314Muhaberat-ı Ecnebiye BaşmemuruAleppo (Halep)400Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf)Recovered annual personnel extract69_289
1897/98AH 1315Muhaberat-ı Ecnebiye BaşmemuruVolos (Golos)600Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf)Recovered annual personnel extract69_289
1898/99AH 1316Muhaberat-ı Ecnebiye BaşmemuruJerusalem (Kudüs)1,000Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf)Recovered annual personnel extract69_289
1899/1900AH 1317Muhaberat-ı Ecnebiye BaşmemuruIzmir (İzmir)500Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf)Recovered annual personnel extract69_289
1904/05AH 1322Posta MemuruChios (Sakız)545Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf)Recovered annual personnel extract69_289
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)

Recorded values of Rafael Musa with their sources
FieldRecorded valueSource
Identity
NameRafael MusaPersonnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract
Birth year (AH)1290Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract
BirthplaceHalepRecovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract
Province of birthhalepRecovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract
Father's occupationTuccar used on this pageRecovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract
Father's occupationtã¼ccar other valueRecovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract
ReligionMuseviRecovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract
Nationality or communityYahudiRecovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract
Schooling
SchoolMillet MektebiRecovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract
Years of schooling4Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract
Years of apprenticeship (mülazemet)0Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract
First work
First work: year (AH)1303Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract
First work: Gregorian year as stored1886Recovered annual personnel extract
First work: placeHalepRecovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract
First salary field (kuruş a month)380Recovered 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.
  • The sources give more than one value for a marked field. Every value is listed.
  • Origin of the record: Post and Telegraph personnel records.
  • 16 annual entries of 16 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