Official
Şahin Kirkor Efendi
Armenian Christian (Ermeni). Born in Istanbul (Dersaadet) in 1840/41 (AH 1256). On record 1859 to 1884, 25 annual entries. Death recorded 1884/85.
Archive reference 14_189; 375
Life#
Şahin Kirkor Efendi was born in Istanbul in 1840/41 (AH 1256), into the Armenian Christian (Ermeni) community, and the father's occupation was "Terzi". In all Şahin Kirkor knew five languages, Armenian, French, Greek (Rum) and Italian in writing and Turkish in speech; fewer than 2 per cent of the 5,211 officials knew as many. Few officials studied at Venedik Mektebi; only 4 of the 5,146 officials with a school did.
Şahin Kirkor began work in Istanbul in 1859/60, at about 19, with half a year without pay as a mülazım (apprentice) before a first salary of 750 kuruş. The first annual entry, for 1859/60, places Şahin Kirkor in Edirne as an official for foreign communications (Muhaberat-ı Ecnebiye Memuriyeti). Şahin Kirkor then moved to eight places in 14 years. From 1874 to 1884 the annual entries place Şahin Kirkor in Kadıköy. 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 750 kuruş a month in 1859/60 to 1,900 in 1866/67, the peak, as Muhaberat-ı Ecnebiye Memuriyeti in Al-Faw, when 88 per cent of paid officials earned less. After 25 years the salary stood below the first, 600 kuruş against 750. After the last annual entry, for 1883/84, the list of 1884/85 (AH 1302) 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 1840/41 (AH 1256); First work 1859/60 (AH 1276)
1862 to 1865 (AH 1279 to 1281)
Muhaberat-ı Ecnebiye Memuriyeti
1,000 kuruş a month; entries in 3 years
1866 to 1869 (AH 1283 to 1285)
Muhaberat-ı Ecnebiye Memuriyeti
1,900 kuruş a month; entries in 3 years
1870/71 (AH 1287)
No annual entry for 1869/70 (AH 1286) before it.
Muhaberat-ı Ecnebiye Memuriyeti
800 kuruş a month; entries in 1 year
1874 to 1884 (AH 1291 to 1301)
Muhaberat-ı Ecnebiye Memuriyeti
600 to 750 kuruş a month; entries in 11 years
Death recorded in the annual list of 1884/85 (AH 1302): 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.
The numbers of the chart
| Year | Salary | Median, all officials | Median, same title | Paid less |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1859/60 | 750 | 500 | 67% | |
| 1860/61 | 750 | 500 | 750 | 56% |
| 1861/62 | 750 | 600 | 750 | 52% |
| 1862/63 | 1,000 | 500 | 750 | 63% |
| 1863/64 | 1,000 | 500 | 750 | 65% |
| 1864/65 | 1,000 | 625 | 860 | 63% |
| 1865/66 | 1,000 | 650 | 588 | 66% |
| 1866/67 | 1,900 | 600 | 600 | 88% |
| 1867/68 | 1,900 | 600 | 600 | 89% |
| 1868/69 | 1,900 | 600 | 570 | 89% |
| 1870/71 | 800 | 600 | 600 | 63% |
| 1871/72 | 665 | 550 | 570 | 60% |
| 1872/73 | 665 | 550 | 585 | 60% |
| 1873/74 | 400 | 500 | 570 | 24% |
| 1874/75 | 700 | 535 | 650 | 60% |
| 1875/76 | 750 | 530 | 700 | 64% |
| 1876/77 | 750 | 582.5 | 600 | 63% |
| 1877/78 | 750 | 560 | 600 | 65% |
| 1878 | 750 | 600 | 600 | 61% |
| 1878/79 | 750 | 600 | 600 | 63% |
| 1879/80 | 600 | 500 | 500 | 61% |
| 1880/81 | 600 | 500 | 500 | 60% |
| 1881/82 | 600 | 500 | 500 | 60% |
| 1882/83 | 600 | 500 | 500 | 59% |
| 1883/84 | 600 | 500 | 500 | 59% |
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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1859/60AH 1276 | First work | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 750first-salary field |
| 1859/60AH 1276 | Muhaberat-ı Ecnebiye Memuriyeti | Edirne | 750 |
| 1860/61AH 1277 | Muhaberat-ı Ecnebiye Memuriyeti | Ruse (Rusçuk) | 750 |
| 1861/62AH 1278 | Muhaberat-ı Ecnebiye Memuriyeti | Veliko Tarnovo (Tırnova) | 750 |
| 1862 to 1865AH 1279 to 1281 | Muhaberat-ı Ecnebiye Memuriyeti | Varna | 1,000 |
| 1865/66AH 1282 | Muhaberat-ı Ecnebiye Memuriyeti | Ankara | 1,000 |
| 1866 to 1869AH 1283 to 1285 | Muhaberat-ı Ecnebiye Memuriyeti | Al-Faw (Fav) | 1,900 |
| No annual entry: 1869/70 (AH 1286) | |||
| 1870/71AH 1287 | Muhaberat-ı Ecnebiye Memuriyeti | Vidin | 800 |
| 1871 to 1873AH 1288 to 1289 | Muhaberat-ı Ecnebiye Memuriyeti | Mytilene (Midilli) | 665 |
| 1873/74AH 1290 | Muhaberat-ı Ecnebiye Memuriyeti | Beyoğlu | 400 |
| 1874 to 1884AH 1291 to 1301 | Muhaberat-ı Ecnebiye Memuriyeti | Kadıköy | 700 to 600 |
| 1884/85AH 1302 | Death recorded | ||
Record#
Personal
- Born
- 1840/41 (AH 1256)
- Birthplace
- Istanbul (Dersaadet)
- Community
- Armenian Christian (Ermeni)
- Nationality as recorded
- Ermeni
- Father's occupation
- Terzi
- Death recorded
- 1884/85 (AH 1302)the year of the annual list with the word Vefat, not a date of death
Education
- Foreign school
- Venedik Mektebi (9 years)
- Higher or professional
- Telgraf Mektebitelegraph school; recorded as a code
- Unpaid years (mülazemet)
- 0.5 years
- Preparation route (classification of the paper)
- Middle
- Qualification (diploma, certificate, training or nişan)
- No
The years count all schooling up to that school, as the record gives them.
Languages
- Armenian
- Kitabetwriting
- French
- Kitabetwriting
- Italian
- Kitabetwriting
- Greek (Rum)
- Kitabetwriting. Rum is the word of the records for Greek as spoken by the Orthodox Christians of the empire. It is kept apart from the column Greek, which the records also have
- Turkish
- Tekellumspeaking
The glosses are cautious historical readings of the recorded words, not modern levels of proficiency.
First work
- Year
- 1859/60 (AH 1276)
- Place
- Istanbul (Dersaadet)
- First salary field (kuruş a month)
- 750
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 7 officials with entries in Kadıköy in the same years, Şahin Kirkor Efendi had the 2nd highest salary.
- Süleyman Ramiz Efendi9 shared years; highest salary 950 kuruş
- Hacı Osman Nuri Efendi3 shared years; highest salary 1,250 kuruş
- Mustafa Neşe Bey2 shared years; highest salary 2,750 kuruş
- Ali Rıza Efendi2 shared years; highest salary 575 kuruş
- Mehmet Tahir Efendi1 shared year; highest salary 1,750 kuruş
Same job title, same years
Of the 155 officials with the title Muhaberat-ı Ecnebiye Memuriyeti in the same years, Şahin Kirkor Efendi had the 15th highest salary.
- Armas Efendi21 shared years; highest salary 1,000 kuruş
- Tertine Efendi20 shared years; highest salary 850 kuruş
- İlya Dakos Efendi20 shared years; highest salary 800 kuruş
- Yanko Filoklis Efendi20 shared years; highest salary 800 kuruş
- Rodrigez Efendi20 shared years; highest salary 720 kuruş
All 605 officials with the title Muhaberat-ı Ecnebiye Memuriyeti
Same school
Of the 4 officials with Venedik Mektebi among their schools, Şahin Kirkor Efendi had the 3rd highest salary.
- Mikail Makakyan Efendiborn 1842/43 (AH 1258); highest salary 800 kuruş
- Ohannes Abdullah Efendiborn 1845 (AH 1261); highest salary 5,000 kuruş
- Siryus Mişel Efendiborn 1834/35 (AH 1250); highest salary 2,000 kuruş
Same birthplace
Of the 1,999 officials born in Istanbul, 1,997 have a recorded salary; Şahin Kirkor Efendi had the 167th highest salary of them.
- Agop Efendiborn 1840/41 (AH 1256); highest salary 400 kuruş
- Andon Fakaro Efendiborn 1840/41 (AH 1256); highest salary 2,350 kuruş
- Antuvan Jean Daliço Efendiborn 1840/41 (AH 1256); highest salary 1,750 kuruş
- Kirkor Kakmaciyan Efendiborn 1840/41 (AH 1256); highest salary 1,000 kuruş
- Mahmut Efendiborn 1840/41 (AH 1256); highest salary 2,500 kuruş
First annual entry in the same year
Of the 21 officials whose first annual entry is for 1859/60 (AH 1276), Şahin Kirkor Efendi had the 11th highest salary.
- Ahmet Cavit Beyfirst entry in Plovdiv (Filibe); highest salary 3,000 kuruş
- Mehmet Sait Efendifirst entry in Izmir (İzmir); highest salary 1,000 kuruş
- Mustafa Efendifirst entry in Thessaloniki (Selanik); highest salary 1,600 kuruş
- Mustafa İsmet Efendifirst entry in Ruse (Rusçuk); highest salary 1,350 kuruş
- Nikola Efendifirst entry in Beyoğlu; highest salary 1,500 kuruş
Full record
Annual entries (25)
| Year | Title | Place | Kuruş a month | Institution | Source | Archive reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1859/60AH 1276 | Muhaberat-ı Ecnebiye Memuriyeti | Edirne | 750 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 14_189; 375 |
| 1860/61AH 1277 | Muhaberat-ı Ecnebiye Memuriyeti | Ruse (Rusçuk) | 750 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 14_189; 375 |
| 1861/62AH 1278 | Muhaberat-ı Ecnebiye Memuriyeti | Veliko Tarnovo (Tırnova) | 750 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 14_189; 375 |
| 1862/63AH 1279 | Muhaberat-ı Ecnebiye Memuriyeti | Varna | 1,000 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 14_189; 375 |
| 1863/64AH 1280 | Muhaberat-ı Ecnebiye Memuriyeti | Varna | 1,000 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 14_189; 375 |
| 1864/65AH 1281 | Muhaberat-ı Ecnebiye Memuriyeti | Varna | 1,000 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 14_189; 375 |
| 1865/66AH 1282 | Muhaberat-ı Ecnebiye Memuriyeti | Ankara | 1,000 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 14_189; 375 |
| 1866/67AH 1283 | Muhaberat-ı Ecnebiye Memuriyeti | Al-Faw (Fav) | 1,900 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 14_189; 375 |
| 1867/68AH 1284 | Muhaberat-ı Ecnebiye Memuriyeti | Al-Faw (Fav) | 1,900 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 14_189; 375 |
| 1868/69AH 1285 | Muhaberat-ı Ecnebiye Memuriyeti | Al-Faw (Fav) | 1,900 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 14_189; 375 |
| 1870/71AH 1287 | Muhaberat-ı Ecnebiye Memuriyeti | Vidin | 800 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 14_189; 375 |
| 1871/72AH 1288 | Muhaberat-ı Ecnebiye Memuriyeti | Mytilene (Midilli) | 665 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 14_189; 375 |
| 1872/73AH 1289 | Muhaberat-ı Ecnebiye Memuriyeti | Mytilene (Midilli) | 665 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 14_189; 375 |
| 1873/74AH 1290 | Muhaberat-ı Ecnebiye Memuriyeti | Beyoğlu | 400 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 14_189; 375 |
| 1874/75AH 1291 | Muhaberat-ı Ecnebiye Memuriyeti | Kadıköy | 700 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 14_189; 375 |
| 1875/76AH 1292 | Muhaberat-ı Ecnebiye Memuriyeti | Kadıköy | 750 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 14_189; 375 |
| 1876/77AH 1293 | Muhaberat-ı Ecnebiye Memuriyeti | Kadıköy | 750 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 14_189; 375 |
| 1877/78AH 1294 | Muhaberat-ı Ecnebiye Memuriyeti | Kadıköy | 750 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 14_189; 375 |
| 1878AH 1295 | Muhaberat-ı Ecnebiye Memuriyeti | Kadıköy | 750 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 14_189; 375 |
| 1878/79AH 1296 | Muhaberat-ı Ecnebiye Memuriyeti | Kadıköy | 750 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 14_189; 375 |
| 1879/80AH 1297 | Muhaberat-ı Ecnebiye Memuriyeti | Kadıköy | 600 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 14_189; 375 |
| 1880/81AH 1298 | Muhaberat-ı Ecnebiye Memuriyeti | Kadıköy | 600 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 14_189; 375 |
| 1881/82AH 1299 | Muhaberat-ı Ecnebiye Memuriyeti | Kadıköy | 600 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 14_189; 375 |
| 1882/83AH 1300 | Muhaberat-ı Ecnebiye Memuriyeti | Kadıköy | 600 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 14_189; 375 |
| 1883/84AH 1301 | Muhaberat-ı Ecnebiye Memuriyeti | Kadıköy | 600 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 14_189; 375 |
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 (17)
| Field | Recorded value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Identity | ||
| Name | Şahin Kirkor Efendi | Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract |
| Birth year (AH) | 1256 | 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 | terzi | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract |
| Religion | hristiyan | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract |
| Nationality or community | ermeni | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract |
| Schooling | ||
| School | venedik mektebi | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract |
| Years of schooling | 9 | 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) | 0.5 used on this page | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract |
| Years of apprenticeship (mülazemet) | 0 other value | Recovered annual personnel extract |
| First work | ||
| First work: year (AH) | 1276 | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract |
| First work: Gregorian year as stored | 1860 | 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) | 750 | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract |
| Status | ||
| Death recorded under the year (AH) | 1302 | 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.
- 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.
- 15 annual entries of 25 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
- Şahin Kirkor Efendi
- Post of official for foreign communications (Muhaberat-ı Ecnebiye Memuriyeti)
- Kadıköy
- Istanbul (Dersaadet)
- Venedik Mektebi
- Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf)
- Armenian Christian (Ermeni)
- 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)