Official
Besim Efendi
Greek Orthodox Christian (Rum). Born in Haifa (Hayfa) in 1864/65 (AH 1281). On record 1882 to 1911, 28 annual entries.
Archive reference 58- 202;397
Life#
Besim Efendi was born in Haifa (Hayfa) in 1864/65 (AH 1281), into the Greek Orthodox Christian (Rum) community. Schooling took four years, at a special school (Mekteb-i Mahsusa); Besim also wrote French as well as Turkish.
At about 18, in 1882/83, Besim began work in Haifa, paid from the start, on 500 kuruş a month. The first annual entry, for 1882/83, places Besim in Haifa, the birthplace, as an official for foreign communications (Muhaberat-ı Ecnebiye Memuriyeti). For 1883 to 1885 the lists have no entry. The annual lists then follow Besim to Suakin (Sevakin), Mürefte and Izmir (İzmir) from 1885 to 1893, then Çanakkale from 1893 to 1911, with a rise to director of the third grade (3. Müdür) in 1909/10 and to communications official (Muhabere Memuru) in 1910/11. The last post was in Izmir again in 1911. The posts lie on three continents, Africa, Asia and Europe, as for fewer than 2 per cent of the 5,200 officials with a place of service.
Pay rose from 500 kuruş a month in 1882/83 to a peak of 800 in 1910/11, as Muhabere Memuru in Çanakkale, when 64 per cent of paid officials earned less. Over 28 years the salaries add up to 165,792 kuruş, about what an official on the median salary earned. The last annual entry is for 1911.
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 1864/65 (AH 1281); First work 1882/83 (AH 1300); 1882/83 (AH 1300)
Muhaberat-ı Ecnebiye Memuriyeti
500 kuruş a month; entries in 1 year
1885 to 1889 (AH 1303 to 1306)
No annual entry for 1883 to 1885 (AH 1301 to 1302) before it.
500 kuruş a month; entries in 4 years
1893 to 1911 (AH 1311 to 1328)
Muhabere Memuru 1893 to 1911 (AH 1311 to 1328); 3. Müdür 1909/10 (AH 1327)
432 to 800 kuruş a month; entries in 18 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1882/83 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 43% |
| 1885/86 | 500 | 500 | 400 | 750 | 42% |
| 1886/87 | 500 | 500 | 400 | 750 | 42% |
| 1887/88 | 500 | 500 | 400 | 1,000 | 41% |
| 1888/89 | 500 | 500 | 400 | 800 | 41% |
| 1889/90 | 500 | 500 | 400 | 500 | 42% |
| 1890/91 | 500 | 500 | 400 | 500 | 43% |
| 1891/92 | 500 | 500 | 400 | 475 | 43% |
| 1892/93 | 500 | 500 | 400 | 500 | 44% |
| 1893/94 | 500 | 500 | 400 | 487.5 | 46% |
| 1894/95 | 500 | 500 | 400 | 475 | 46% |
| 1895/96 | 500 | 500 | 400 | 487.5 | 47% |
| 1896/97 | 432 | 500 | 400 | 453.5 | 44% |
| 1897/98 | 432 | 500 | 400 | 487.5 | 44% |
| 1898/99 | 432 | 500 | 400 | 453.5 | 43% |
| 1899/1900 | 432 | 500 | 400 | 500 | 43% |
| 1900/01 | 432 | 500 | 400 | 380 | 43% |
| 1901/02 | 432 | 500 | 400 | 400 | 45% |
| 1902/03 | 432 | 500 | 380 | 400 | 45% |
| 1903/04 | 432 | 475 | 350 | 400 | 46% |
| 1904/05 | 432 | 450 | 350 | 350 | 47% |
| 1905/06 | 432 | 475 | 330 | 486 | 47% |
| 1906/07 | 432 | 450 | 300 | 48% | |
| 1907/08 | 432 | 300 | 250 | 63% | |
| 1908/09 | 432 | 350 | 250 | 58% | |
| 1909/10 | 600 | 462.5 | 600 | 56% | |
| 1910/11 | 800 | 500 | 300 | 64% | |
| 1911 | 800 | 500 | 400 | 68% |
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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1882/83AH 1300 | First work | Haifa (Hayfa) | 500first-salary field |
| 1882/83AH 1300 | Muhaberat-ı Ecnebiye Memuriyeti | Haifa (Hayfa) | 500 |
| No annual entry: 1883 to 1885 (AH 1301 to 1302) | |||
| 1885 to 1889AH 1303 to 1306 | Muhabere Memuru | Suakin (Sevakin) | 500 |
| 1889 to 1892AH 1307 to 1309 | Muhabere Memuru | Mürefte | 500 |
| 1892/93AH 1310 | Muhabere Memuru | Izmir (İzmir) | 500 |
| 1893 to 1909AH 1311 to 1326 | Muhabere Memuru | Çanakkale | 500 to 432 |
| 1909/10AH 1327 | 3. Müdür | Çanakkale | 600 |
| 1910/11AH 1328 | Muhabere Memuru | Çanakkale | 800 |
| 1911AH 1329 | Muhabere Memuru | Izmir (İzmir) | 800 |
Record#
Personal
- Born
- 1864/65 (AH 1281)
- Birthplace
- Haifa (Hayfa)
- Community
- Greek Orthodox Christian (Rum)
- Nationality as recorded
- Rum
Education
- Other named school
- Mekteb-i Mahsusa (4 years)special school
- 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.
Languages
- French
- Kitabetwriting
- Turkish
- Kitabetwriting
The glosses are cautious historical readings of the recorded words, not modern levels of proficiency.
First work
- Year
- 1882/83 (AH 1300)
- Place
- Haifa (Hayfa)
- First salary field (kuruş a month)
- 500
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 25 officials who held Muhabere Memuru in Çanakkale in the same years, Besim Efendi had the 3rd highest salary.
- İbrahim Ethem Efendi6 shared years; highest salary 400 kuruş
- Osman Nuri Efendi6 shared years; highest salary 350 kuruş
- Kazım Bey5 shared years; highest salary 1,000 kuruş
- Mustafa Kamil Efendi5 shared years; highest salary 600 kuruş
- Mehmet Zihni Efendi4 shared years; highest salary 800 kuruş
Same place, same years
Of the 41 officials with entries in Çanakkale in the same years, Besim Efendi had the 7th highest salary.
- Mustafa Kamil Efendi7 shared years; highest salary 600 kuruş
- İbrahim Ethem Efendi6 shared years; highest salary 400 kuruş
- Osman Nuri Efendi6 shared years; highest salary 350 kuruş
- Fahri Efendi5 shared years; highest salary 1,000 kuruş
- Kazım Bey5 shared years; highest salary 1,000 kuruş
Same job title, same years
Of the 2,711 officials with the title Muhabere Memuru in the same years, Besim Efendi had the 338th highest salary.
- Mustafa Nuri Efendi24 shared years; highest salary 900 kuruş
- Nevrikyan Efendi24 shared years; highest salary 800 kuruş
- Tahir Efendi23 shared years; highest salary 700 kuruş
- Mehmet Galip Efendi23 shared years; highest salary 600 kuruş
- Mehmet Hulusi Bey22 shared years; highest salary 2,600 kuruş
Same school
Of the 38 officials with Mekteb-i Mahsusa among their schools, Besim Efendi had the 14th highest salary.
- Pedrus Kandela Efendiborn 1863/64 (AH 1280); highest salary 550 kuruş
- Reşid Efendiborn 1863/64 (AH 1280); highest salary 700 kuruş
- Sason Efendiborn 1863/64 (AH 1280); highest salary 1,000 kuruş
- Yanko Efendiborn 1865/66 (AH 1282); highest salary 825 kuruş
- Fransuva Efendiborn 1862/63 (AH 1279); highest salary 1,000 kuruş
Same birthplace
Of the 5 officials born in Haifa (Hayfa), Besim Efendi had the 2nd highest salary.
- Corci Asaf Efendiborn 1858/59 (AH 1275); highest salary 1,600 kuruş
- Elyas Zehlan Efendiborn 1877/78 (AH 1294); highest salary 400 kuruş
- Habib Efendiborn 1880/81 (AH 1298); highest salary 600 kuruş
- EMİN EFENDİborn 1889/90 (AH 1307); highest salary 375 kuruş
First annual entry in the same year
Of the 88 officials whose first annual entry is for 1882/83 (AH 1300), Besim Efendi had the 24th highest salary.
- Ahmet Efendifirst entry in Beyoğlu; highest salary 500 kuruş
- Ahmet Ferit Efendifirst entry in Bandırma; highest salary 800 kuruş
- Artin Zeki Efendifirst entry in Istanbul; highest salary 750 kuruş
- İbrahim Hakkı Efendifirst entry in Skopje (Üsküp); highest salary 400 kuruş
- Mehmed Niyazi Efendifirst entry in Istanbul; highest salary 440 kuruş
All 88 officials whose first annual entry is for 1882/83 (AH 1300)
Full record
Annual entries (28)
| Year | Title | Place | Kuruş a month | Institution | Source | Archive reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1882/83AH 1300 | Muhaberat-ı Ecnebiye Memuriyeti | Haifa (Hayfa) | 500 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 58- 202;397 |
| 1885/86AH 1303 | Muhabere Memuru | Suakin (Sevakin) | 500 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 58- 202;397 |
| 1886/87AH 1304 | Muhabere Memuru | Suakin (Sevakin) | 500 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 58- 202;397 |
| 1887/88AH 1305 | Muhabere Memuru | Suakin (Sevakin) | 500 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 58- 202;397 |
| 1888/89AH 1306 | Muhabere Memuru | Suakin (Sevakin) | 500 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 58- 202;397 |
| 1889/90AH 1307 | Muhabere Memuru | Mürefte | 500 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 58- 202;397 |
| 1890/91AH 1308 | Muhabere Memuru | Mürefte | 500 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 58- 202;397 |
| 1891/92AH 1309 | Muhabere Memuru | Mürefte | 500 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 58- 202;397 |
| 1892/93AH 1310 | Muhabere Memuru | Izmir (İzmir) | 500 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 58- 202;397 |
| 1893/94AH 1311 | Muhabere Memuru | Çanakkale | 500 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 58- 202;397 |
| 1894/95AH 1312 | Muhabere Memuru | Çanakkale | 500 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 58- 202;397 |
| 1895/96AH 1313 | Muhabere Memuru | Çanakkale | 500 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 58- 202;397 |
| 1896/97AH 1314 | Muhabere Memuru | Çanakkale | 432 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 58- 202;397 |
| 1897/98AH 1315 | Muhabere Memuru | Çanakkale | 432 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 58- 202;397 |
| 1898/99AH 1316 | Muhabere Memuru | Çanakkale | 432 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 58- 202;397 |
| 1899/1900AH 1317 | Muhabere Memuru | Çanakkale | 432 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 58- 202;397 |
| 1900/01AH 1318 | Muhabere Memuru | Çanakkale | 432 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 58- 202;397 |
| 1901/02AH 1319 | Muhabere Memuru | Çanakkale | 432 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 58- 202;397 |
| 1902/03AH 1320 | Muhabere Memuru | Çanakkale | 432 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 58- 202;397 |
| 1903/04AH 1321 | Muhabere Memuru | Çanakkale | 432 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 58- 202;397 |
| 1904/05AH 1322 | Muhabere Memuru | Çanakkale | 432 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 58- 202;397 |
| 1905/06AH 1323 | Muhabere Memuru | Çanakkale | 432 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 58- 202;397 |
| 1906/07AH 1324 | Muhabere Memuru | Çanakkale | 432 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 58- 202;397 |
| 1907/08AH 1325 | Muhabere Memuru | Çanakkale | 432 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 58- 202;397 |
| 1908/09AH 1326 | Muhabere Memuru | Çanakkale | 432 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 58- 202;397 |
| 1909/10AH 1327 | 3. Müdür | Çanakkale | 600 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 58- 202;397 |
| 1910/11AH 1328 | Muhabere Memuru | Çanakkale | 800 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 58- 202;397 |
| 1911AH 1329 | Muhabere Memuru | Izmir (İzmir) | 800 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 58- 202;397 |
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 (13)
| Field | Recorded value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Identity | ||
| Name | Besim Efendi | Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract |
| Birth year (AH) | 1281 | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract |
| Birthplace | hayfa | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract |
| Province of birth | beyrut | 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 | Rum | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract |
| Schooling | ||
| School | mektebi mahsusa | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract |
| Years of schooling | 4 | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract |
| Years of apprenticeship (mülazemet) | 0 | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract |
| First work | ||
| First work: year (AH) | 1300 | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract |
| First work: Gregorian year as stored | 1883 | Recovered annual personnel extract |
| First work: place | hayfa | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract |
| First salary field (kuruş a month) | 500 | 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.
- 22 annual entries of 28 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
- Besim Efendi
- Communications official (Muhabere Memuru)
- Çanakkale
- Haifa (Hayfa)
- Special school (Mekteb-i Mahsusa)
- Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf)
- Greek Orthodox Christian (Rum)
- 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)