Official
Mustafa Agah Efendi
Muslim (Müslüman). Born in Istanbul (Dersaadet) in 1836/37 (AH 1252). On record 1855 to 1879, 23 annual entries. Death recorded 1882/83.
Archive reference 0002_0043; 84
Life#
Mustafa Agah Efendi was born in Istanbul in 1836/37 (AH 1252) into the Muslim (Müslüman) community; the father was a soldier (asker). Work began in the Muhasebe Kalemi in Istanbul in 1851/52, at about 16, with half a year without pay as a mülazım (apprentice) before a first salary of 50 kuruş. The first annual entry, for 1855/56, places Mustafa Agah in Istanbul, the birthplace, in the Babiali Tercume Odasi. Next came six places in nine years, from Sofia (Sofya) to Kurdistan, then Ioannina (Yanya) from 1865 to 1870. Mustafa Agah then moved to Thessaloniki in 1870/71 and Sivas in 1871/72. The last posts were in Istanbul again from 1873 to 1879, first as Komisyon Azasi, from 1875/76 as Sicil Kalemi Muduru. Ten places 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 3,500 kuruş a month in 1855/56 to 4,000 in 1862/63, the peak, as Müfettiş in Kurdistan, when 96 per cent of paid officials earned less. Over 23 years pay ended below where it began, 2,500 kuruş against 3,500. In all, 23 years of salary come to 784,200 kuruş, 5.2 times the median official's, a level reached by 46 of the 3,805 officials paid for five years or more. The last annual entry is for 1878/79; the list of 1882/83 (AH 1300) gives the status word Vefat (death).
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 1836/37 (AH 1252); First work 1851/52 (AH 1268); 1855/56 (AH 1272)
First work as Muhasebe Kalemi
3,500 kuruş a month; entries in 1 year
1873 to 1879 (AH 1290 to 1296)
No annual entry for 1872/73 (AH 1289) before it.
Komisyon Azasi 1873 to 1875 (AH 1290 to 1291); Sicil Kalemi Muduru 1875 to 1879 (AH 1292 to 1296)
1,500 to 2,500 kuruş a month; entries in 7 years
Death recorded in the annual list of 1882/83 (AH 1300): the word Vefat, not a date of death.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1855/56 | 3,500 | 432.5 | 350 | 95% | |
| 1856/57 | 1,500 | 375 | 1,000 | 83% | |
| 1857/58 | 1,500 | 475 | 1,500 | 750 | 80% |
| 1858/59 | 1,500 | 500 | 1,500 | 875 | 81% |
| 1860/61 | 1,500 | 500 | 1,500 | 750 | 82% |
| 1861/62 | 1,600 | 600 | 2,250 | 725 | 87% |
| 1862/63 | 4,000 | 500 | 1,500 | 96% | |
| 1863/64 | 4,000 | 500 | 1,000 | 97% | |
| 1864/65 | 4,000 | 625 | 720 | 97% | |
| 1865/66 | 4,000 | 650 | 4,000 | 960 | 97% |
| 1866/67 | 4,000 | 600 | 4,000 | 900 | 98% |
| 1867/68 | 4,000 | 600 | 3,750 | 800 | 98% |
| 1868/69 | 4,000 | 600 | 3,300 | 800 | 98% |
| 1869/70 | 4,000 | 600 | 3,500 | 775 | 98% |
| 1870/71 | 4,000 | 600 | 3,500 | 400 | 97% |
| 1871/72 | 2,750 | 550 | 3,000 | 535 | 96% |
| 1873/74 | 1,500 | 500 | 500 | 89% | |
| 1874/75 | 1,500 | 535 | 522.5 | 89% | |
| 1875/76 | 2,500 | 530 | 550 | 94% | |
| 1876/77 | 2,500 | 582.5 | 587.5 | 94% | |
| 1877/78 | 2,500 | 560 | 600 | 94% | |
| 1878 | 2,500 | 600 | 600 | 93% | |
| 1878/79 | 2,500 | 600 | 600 | 93% |
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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1851/52AH 1268 | Muhasebe Kalemifirst work | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 50first-salary field |
| 1855/56AH 1272 | Babiali Tercume Odasi | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 3,500 |
| 1856/57AH 1273 | 1. Müdür | Sofia (Sofya) | 1,500 |
| 1857/58AH 1274 | 1. Müdür | Niš (Niş) | 1,500 |
| 1858/59AH 1275 | 1. Müdür | Lom | 1,500 |
| No annual entry: 1859/60 (AH 1276) | |||
| 1860/61AH 1277 | 1. Müdür | Tekirdağ | 1,500 |
| 1861/62AH 1278 | Müdür | Varna | 1,600 |
| 1862 to 1865AH 1279 to 1281 | Müfettiş | Kurdistan | 4,000 |
| 1865 to 1870AH 1282 to 1286 | Müfettiş | Ioannina (Yanya) | 4,000 |
| 1870/71AH 1287 | Müfettiş | Thessaloniki (Selanik) | 4,000 |
| 1871/72AH 1288 | Müfettiş | Sivas | 2,750 |
| No annual entry: 1872/73 (AH 1289) | |||
| 1873 to 1875AH 1290 to 1291 | Komisyon Azasi | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 1,500 |
| 1875 to 1879AH 1292 to 1296 | Sicil Kalemi Muduru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 2,500 |
| 1882/83AH 1300 | Death recorded | ||
Record#
Personal
- Born
- 1836/37 (AH 1252)
- Birthplace
- Istanbul (Dersaadet)
- Community
- Muslim (Müslüman)
- Nationality as recorded
- Turkish
- Father's occupation
- Asker
- Death recorded
- 1882/83 (AH 1300)the year of the annual list with the word Vefat, not a date of death
Education
- Higher or professional
- Tıbbiye Mektebi (14 years)School of Medicine
- Unpaid years (mülazemet)
- 0.5 years
- Preparation route (classification of the paper)
- Other High
- 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
- 1851/52 (AH 1268)
- Place
- Istanbul (Dersaadet)
- First job as worded
- Muhasebe Kalemi
- Age at first work (workbook field)
- 16
- First salary field (kuruş a month)
- 50
- First-job salary of the original workbook (kuruş a month)
- 50
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 1. Müdür in Tekirdağ in the same years, Mustafa Agah Efendi had the highest salary.
- Hüseyin Hayrettin Efendi1 shared year; highest salary 4,000 kuruş
Same place, same years
Of the 431 officials with entries in Istanbul in the same years, Mustafa Agah Efendi had the 38th highest salary.
- Mahmut Aziz Efendi8 shared years; highest salary 3,500 kuruş
- Mehmet Emin Efendi8 shared years; highest salary 1,875 kuruş
- Ali Avnullah Efendi8 shared years; highest salary 1,500 kuruş
- Mehmet Akif Efendi8 shared years; highest salary 1,500 kuruş
- Unnamed official (5_316; 629)8 shared years; highest salary 1,100 kuruş
Same job title, same years
Of the 19 officials with the title Müfettiş in the same years, Mustafa Agah Efendi had the 5th highest salary.
- Mustafa Efendi8 shared years; highest salary 4,500 kuruş
- Hüseyin Lebib Efendi7 shared years; highest salary 4,000 kuruş
- Odi Efendi7 shared years; highest salary 4,000 kuruş
- Hüseyin Hayrettin Efendi6 shared years; highest salary 4,000 kuruş
- Jory Raymon Efendi5 shared years; highest salary 2,400 kuruş
Same school
Of the 16 officials with Tıbbiye Mektebi among their schools, Mustafa Agah Efendi had the 4th highest salary.
- Mehmet Pertev Beyborn 1834/35 (AH 1250); highest salary 1,500 kuruş
- Abdülkerim Efendiborn 1833/34 (AH 1249); highest salary 4,500 kuruş
- Dimitri Aleksandridi Efendiborn 1833/34 (AH 1249); highest salary 1,200 kuruş
- Mustafa Efendiborn 1833/34 (AH 1249); highest salary 4,500 kuruş
- Süleyman Fevzi Efendiborn 1833/34 (AH 1249); highest salary 3,000 kuruş
Same birthplace
Of the 1,999 officials born in Istanbul, 1,997 have a recorded salary; Mustafa Agah Efendi had the 45th highest salary of them.
- Ahmet Emin Beyborn 1836/37 (AH 1252); highest salary 400 kuruş
- Bekir Efendiborn 1836/37 (AH 1252); highest salary 3,500 kuruş
- Hasan Said Efendiborn 1836/37 (AH 1252); highest salary 1,200 kuruş
- İstefan Diyon Efendiborn 1836/37 (AH 1252); highest salary 500 kuruş
- Mehmet Sakir Beyborn 1836/37 (AH 1252); highest salary 800 kuruş
First annual entry in the same year
Of the 11 officials whose first annual entry is for 1855/56 (AH 1272), Mustafa Agah Efendi had the 3rd highest salary.
- Hüseyin Hayrettin Efendifirst entry in Istanbul; highest salary 4,000 kuruş
- Bahattin Beyfirst entry in Istanbul; highest salary 4,000 kuruş
- Nazif Efendifirst entry in Istanbul; highest salary 12,500 kuruş
- Mustafa Tevfik Efendifirst entry in Mytilene (Midilli); highest salary 5,000 kuruş
- Ahmet Rıfat Efendifirst annual entry 1855/56 (AH 1272); highest salary 3,000 kuruş
Full record
Annual entries (23)
| Year | Title | Place | Kuruş a month | Institution | Source | Archive reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1855/56AH 1272 | Babiali Tercume Odasi | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 3,500 | Other | Cross-ministry personnel workbook | 0002_0043; 84 |
| 1856/57AH 1273 | 1. Müdür | Sofia (Sofya) | 1,500 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0002_0043; 84 |
| 1857/58AH 1274 | 1. Müdür | Niš (Niş) | 1,500 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0002_0043; 84 |
| 1858/59AH 1275 | 1. Müdür | Lom | 1,500 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0002_0043; 84 |
| 1860/61AH 1277 | 1. Müdür | Tekirdağ | 1,500 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0002_0043; 84 |
| 1861/62AH 1278 | Müdür | Varna | 1,600 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0002_0043; 84 |
| 1862/63AH 1279 | Müfettiş | Kurdistan | 4,000 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0002_0043; 84 |
| 1863/64AH 1280 | Müfettiş | Kurdistan | 4,000 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0002_0043; 84 |
| 1864/65AH 1281 | Müfettiş | Kurdistan | 4,000 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0002_0043; 84 |
| 1865/66AH 1282 | Müfettiş | Ioannina (Yanya) | 4,000 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0002_0043; 84 |
| 1866/67AH 1283 | Müfettiş | Ioannina (Yanya) | 4,000 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0002_0043; 84 |
| 1867/68AH 1284 | Müfettiş | Ioannina (Yanya) | 4,000 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0002_0043; 84 |
| 1868/69AH 1285 | Müfettiş | Ioannina (Yanya) | 4,000 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0002_0043; 84 |
| 1869/70AH 1286 | Müfettiş | Ioannina (Yanya) | 4,000 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0002_0043; 84 |
| 1870/71AH 1287 | Müfettiş | Thessaloniki (Selanik) | 4,000 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0002_0043; 84 |
| 1871/72AH 1288 | Müfettiş | Sivas | 2,750 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0002_0043; 84 |
| 1873/74AH 1290 | Komisyon Azasi | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 1,500 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0002_0043; 84 |
| 1874/75AH 1291 | Komisyon Azasi | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 1,500 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0002_0043; 84 |
| 1875/76AH 1292 | Sicil Kalemi Muduru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 2,500 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0002_0043; 84 |
| 1876/77AH 1293 | Sicil Kalemi Muduru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 2,500 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0002_0043; 84 |
| 1877/78AH 1294 | Sicil Kalemi Muduru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 2,500 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0002_0043; 84 |
| 1878AH 1295 | Sicil Kalemi Muduru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 2,500 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0002_0043; 84 |
| 1878/79AH 1296 | Sicil Kalemi Muduru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 2,500 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0002_0043; 84 |
What the sources named in this table are
- Cross-ministry personnel workbook
- A personnel workbook with the annual entries in institutions other than the Post and Telegraph (justice, land registry, customs, police and others), with the same annual fields as the personnel workbook.
- 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 (26)
| Field | Recorded value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Identity | ||
| Name | Mustafa Agah Efendi | Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract; Linked personnel workbook |
| Birth year (AH) | 1252 | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract; Cross-ministry personnel workbook |
| Birthplace | dersaadet used on this page | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract |
| Birthplace | istanbul other value | Cross-ministry personnel workbook |
| Birthplace: district (kaza) | istanbul | Cross-ministry personnel workbook |
| Birthplace: sancak | istanbul | Cross-ministry personnel workbook |
| Birthplace: province (vilayet) | istanbul | Cross-ministry personnel workbook |
| Province of birth | dersaadet | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract |
| Father's occupation | asker | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract; Cross-ministry personnel workbook |
| Religion | Musluman | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract; Cross-ministry personnel workbook |
| Nationality or community | Turkish | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract; Cross-ministry personnel workbook |
| Schooling | ||
| School | tibbiye mektebi | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract; Cross-ministry personnel workbook |
| Years of schooling | 14 | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract; Cross-ministry personnel workbook |
| Years of apprenticeship (mülazemet) | 0.5 used on this page | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract; Cross-ministry personnel workbook |
| Years of apprenticeship (mülazemet) | 0 other value | Recovered annual personnel extract |
| First work | ||
| First work: year (AH) | 1268 | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract; Linked personnel workbook |
| First work: Gregorian year as stored | 1852 | Recovered annual personnel extract |
| First work: place | istanbul | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract; Cross-ministry personnel workbook |
| First work: district (kaza) | istanbul | Cross-ministry personnel workbook |
| First work: sancak | istanbul | Cross-ministry personnel workbook |
| First work: province (vilayet) | istanbul | Cross-ministry personnel workbook |
| First job as worded | Muhasebe Kalemi | Linked personnel workbook; Cross-ministry personnel workbook |
| Age at first work (workbook field) | 16 | Cross-ministry personnel workbook |
| First salary field (kuruş a month) | 50 | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract |
| First-job salary of the original workbook (kuruş a month) | 50 | Linked personnel workbook; Cross-ministry personnel workbook |
| Status | ||
| Death recorded under the year (AH) | 1300 | Earlier annual personnel extract (original copy); Earlier annual personnel extract (parallel copy) |
What the sources named in this table are
- Earlier annual personnel extract (original copy)
- A copy of the earlier annual personnel file, read for the title wording of each year. A death taken from it is the status word Vefat in the title field of one annual list: the year is the year of that list, not a date of death.
- Earlier annual personnel extract (parallel copy)
- A second copy of the earlier annual personnel file, read in the same way. A death taken from it is the status word Vefat in the title field of one annual list: the year is the year of that list, not a date of death. Two copies that agree are one piece of evidence, not two.
- Cross-ministry personnel workbook
- A personnel workbook with the annual entries in institutions other than the Post and Telegraph (justice, land registry, customs, police and others), with the same annual fields as the personnel workbook.
- 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.
- Linked personnel workbook
- The original personnel workbook, from which selected fields on background and first work are taken.
- The sources give more than one value for a marked field. Every value is listed.
- Origin of the record: Post and Telegraph personnel records.
- 9 annual entries of 23 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
- Mustafa Agah Efendi
- Inspector (Müfettiş)
- Istanbul (Dersaadet)
- School of Medicine (Tıbbiye Mektebi)
- Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf)
- Muslim (Müslüman)
- Sicil Kalemi Muduru
- 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)