Official
Mahmut Nihat Efendi
Muslim (Müslüman). Born in Chania (Hanya) in 1871/72 (AH 1288). On record 1891 to 1906, 15 annual entries.
Archive reference 0091_0006: 9
Life#
Born in Chania (Hanya) in 1871/72 (AH 1288) into the Muslim (Müslüman) community, Mahmut Nihat Efendi was the child of a clerk (ketebe). At about 17, in 1888/89, Mahmut Nihat began work in Istanbul, with three unpaid years as a mülazım (apprentice) before a first salary of 750 kuruş. The first annual entry, for 1891/92, places Mahmut Nihat in Cedide as a communications official (Muhabere Memuru). Mahmut Nihat then moved to Sheikh Said (Şeyh Said) from 1893 to 1896, then Van from 1896 to 1905, with a rise to director of the second grade (2. Müdür) in 1901/02 and to Basmudur Vekili in 1902/03. The last post was in Basra in 1905/06. Sheikh Said, about 3,200 km from Chania, was the post farthest from the birthplace; fewer than 2 per cent of the 5,162 officials with a known birthplace and place of service served as far from home.
Pay rose from 750 kuruş a month in 1891/92 to a peak of 1,500 in 1893/94, as a director of the first grade (1. Müdür) in Sheikh Said, when 94 per cent of paid officials earned less. Over the years with a salary, pay stood on average in the top 11.9 per cent of each year's paid officials, a standing reached by fewer than 3 per cent of the 3,805 officials paid for five years or more. The last annual entry is for 1905/06.
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 1871/72 (AH 1288)
First work 1888/89 (AH 1306)
1893 to 1896 (AH 1311 to 1313)
1,500 kuruş a month; entries in 3 years
1896 to 1905 (AH 1314 to 1322)
Muhaberat-ı Ecnebiye Memuriyeti 1896 to 1901 (AH 1314 to 1318); 2. Müdür 1901 to 1905 (AH 1319 to 1322); Basmudur Vekili 1902/03 (AH 1320)
810 to 1,500 kuruş a month; entries in 9 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.
The numbers of the chart
| Year | Salary | Median, all officials | Median, same title | Paid less |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1891/92 | 750 | 500 | 400 | 75% |
| 1892/93 | 750 | 500 | 400 | 76% |
| 1893/94 | 1,500 | 500 | 1,200 | 94% |
| 1894/95 | 1,500 | 500 | 1,200 | 94% |
| 1895/96 | 1,500 | 500 | 1,300 | 94% |
| 1896/97 | 810 | 500 | 495 | 86% |
| 1897/98 | 810 | 500 | 480 | 87% |
| 1898/99 | 810 | 500 | 495 | 86% |
| 1899/1900 | 810 | 500 | 500 | 84% |
| 1900/01 | 810 | 500 | 500 | 84% |
| 1901/02 | 1,060 | 500 | 800 | 90% |
| 1902/03 | 1,500 | 500 | 93% | |
| 1903/04 | 1,060 | 475 | 800 | 90% |
| 1904/05 | 1,060 | 450 | 800 | 89% |
| 1905/06 | 1,300 | 475 | 1,500 | 92% |
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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1888/89AH 1306 | First work | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 750first-salary field |
| 1891 to 1893AH 1309 to 1310 | Muhabere Memuru | Cedide | 750 |
| 1893 to 1896AH 1311 to 1313 | 1. Müdür | Sheikh Said (Şeyh Said) | 1,500 |
| 1896 to 1901AH 1314 to 1318 | Muhaberat-ı Ecnebiye Memuriyeti | Van | 810 |
| 1901/02AH 1319 | 2. Müdür | Van | 1,060 |
| 1902/03AH 1320 | Basmudur Vekili | Van | 1,500 |
| 1903 to 1905AH 1321 to 1322 | 2. Müdür | Van | 1,060 |
| 1905/06AH 1323 | 1. Müdür | Basra | 1,300 |
Record#
Personal
- Born
- 1871/72 (AH 1288)
- Birthplace
- Chania (Hanya)
- Community
- Muslim (Müslüman)
- Nationality as recorded
- Turkish
- Father's occupation
- Ketebe
Education
- Rüşdiye
- Rüşdiye Mektebi (7 years)rüşdiye school (middle school)
- Unpaid years (mülazemet)
- 3 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
- Arabic
- Tekellumspeaking
- French
- Kitabetwriting
- Turkish
- Kitabetwriting
The glosses are cautious historical readings of the recorded words, not modern levels of proficiency.
First work
- Year
- 1888/89 (AH 1306)
- 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 44 officials with entries in Van in the same years, Mahmut Nihat Efendi had the 13th highest salary.
- Abdülkadir Ziya Efendi9 shared years; highest salary 900 kuruş
- Mehmet Ruşen Efendi9 shared years; highest salary 500 kuruş
- Süleyman Necati Efendi8 shared years; highest salary 480 kuruş
- Mahmut Celalettin Efendi8 shared years; highest salary 380 kuruş
- Zülfikar Fethi Efendi6 shared years; highest salary 720 kuruş
Same job title, same years
Of the 262 officials with the title Muhaberat-ı Ecnebiye Memuriyeti in the same years, Mahmut Nihat Efendi had the 9th highest salary.
- İbrahim Halil Efendi5 shared years; highest salary 3,000 kuruş
- Hüseyin Azmi Efendi5 shared years; highest salary 2,250 kuruş
- Mehmet Cemal Efendi5 shared years; highest salary 1,650 kuruş
- Corci Asaf Efendi5 shared years; highest salary 1,600 kuruş
- Hasan Şevket Efendi5 shared years; highest salary 1,500 kuruş
All 605 officials with the title Muhaberat-ı Ecnebiye Memuriyeti
Same school
Of the 3,206 officials with Rüşdiye Mektebi among their schools, 3,200 have a recorded salary; Mahmut Nihat Efendi had the 133rd highest salary of them.
- Abdi Zühtü Efendiborn 1871/72 (AH 1288); highest salary 1,000 kuruş
- Abdullah Avni Efendiborn 1871/72 (AH 1288); highest salary 380 kuruş
- Ahmet Cevdet Efendiborn 1871/72 (AH 1288); highest salary 900 kuruş
- Ahmet Hamdi Efendiborn 1871/72 (AH 1288); highest salary 210 kuruş
- Ahmet Hamdi Efendiborn 1871/72 (AH 1288); highest salary 300 kuruş
Same birthplace
Of the 11 officials born in Chania (Hanya), Mahmut Nihat Efendi had the 2nd highest salary.
- HÜSEYİN AVNİ EFENDİborn 1870/71 (AH 1287); highest salary 540 kuruş
- İbrahim Cevat Efendiborn 1873/74 (AH 1290); highest salary 600 kuruş
- Arif Beyborn 1867/68 (AH 1284); highest salary 600 kuruş
- Unnamed official (0067_0248; sayfa no:493)born 1875/76 (AH 1292); highest salary 600 kuruş
- Ahmet Bahattin Efendiborn 1877/78 (AH 1294); highest salary 395 kuruş
The page of Chania (Hanya), with the 11 officials born there
First annual entry in the same year
Of the 136 officials whose first annual entry is for 1891/92 (AH 1309), Mahmut Nihat Efendi had the 4th highest salary.
- Ali Sami Efendifirst entry in Adana; highest salary 500 kuruş
- Benakulaki Mafridi Efendifirst entry in Galata; highest salary 600 kuruş
- ETHEM FETHİ EFENDİfirst entry in Aleppo (Halep); highest salary 500 kuruş
- Halil Fazıl Efendifirst entry in Beirut (Beyrut); highest salary 450 kuruş
- Halit Rahmi Efendifirst entry in Pristina (Priştine); highest salary 500 kuruş
Full record
Annual entries (15)
| Year | Title | Place | Kuruş a month | Institution | Source | Archive reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1891/92AH 1309 | Muhabere Memuru | Cedide | 750 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0091_0006: 9 |
| 1892/93AH 1310 | Muhabere Memuru | Cedide | 750 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0091_0006: 9 |
| 1893/94AH 1311 | 1. Müdür | Sheikh Said (Şeyh Said) | 1,500 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0091_0006: 9 |
| 1894/95AH 1312 | 1. Müdür | Sheikh Said (Şeyh Said) | 1,500 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0091_0006: 9 |
| 1895/96AH 1313 | 1. Müdür | Sheikh Said (Şeyh Said) | 1,500 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0091_0006: 9 |
| 1896/97AH 1314 | Muhaberat-ı Ecnebiye Memuriyeti | Van | 810 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0091_0006: 9 |
| 1897/98AH 1315 | Muhaberat-ı Ecnebiye Memuriyeti | Van | 810 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0091_0006: 9 |
| 1898/99AH 1316 | Muhaberat-ı Ecnebiye Memuriyeti | Van | 810 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0091_0006: 9 |
| 1899/1900AH 1317 | Muhaberat-ı Ecnebiye Memuriyeti | Van | 810 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0091_0006: 9 |
| 1900/01AH 1318 | Muhaberat-ı Ecnebiye Memuriyeti | Van | 810 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0091_0006: 9 |
| 1901/02AH 1319 | 2. Müdür | Van | 1,060 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0091_0006: 9 |
| 1902/03AH 1320 | Basmudur Vekili | Van | 1,500 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0091_0006: 9 |
| 1903/04AH 1321 | 2. Müdür | Van | 1,060 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0091_0006: 9 |
| 1904/05AH 1322 | 2. Müdür | Van | 1,060 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0091_0006: 9 |
| 1905/06AH 1323 | 1. Müdür | Basra | 1,300 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0091_0006: 9 |
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 (14)
| Field | Recorded value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Identity | ||
| Name | Mahmut Nihat Efendi | Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract |
| Birth year (AH) | 1288 | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract |
| Birthplace | hanya | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract |
| Province of birth | girit | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract |
| Father's occupation | Ketebe | 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) | 3 | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract |
| First work | ||
| First work: year (AH) | 1306 | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract |
| First work: Gregorian year as stored | 1889 | 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 |
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.
- 15 annual entries of 15 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
- Mahmut Nihat Efendi
- Post of official for foreign communications (Muhaberat-ı Ecnebiye Memuriyeti)
- Van
- Chania (Hanya)
- 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)