Yahya Efendi

The life of Yahya Efendi began in Dagistan in 1860/61 (AH 1277). Yahya began work in 1882/83, at about 22, on a first salary of 80 kuruş. The first annual entry, for 1882/83, names Yahya as Bez Fabrika-i Hümayunu kâtibi, with no place. The annual lists then follow Yahya to Sjenica in 1885/86, then Kardzhali (Kırcaali) from 1886 to 1897. Alongside, the lists for 1896 to 1908 give a second post, in a post with no place named as Levazımat-ı Umumiye Dairesi 4. şube memuru. The lists give İstifa (resignation) for 1883/84 and Infisal for 1885/86 instead of a title. The farthest post, Sjenica, lay about 2,200 km from Dagistan, and fewer than 3 per cent of the 5,339 officials with a known birthplace and place of service served as far from the birthplace.

The salary went from 80 kuruş a month in 1882/83 to 1,440 in 1907/08, the peak, when 87 per cent of paid officials earned less. In all, 22 years of salary come to 291,000 kuruş, 2.7 times what an official on the median salary earned in those years. The final annual entry is for 1907/08.