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Ottoman BureaucracyPeople, places and careers in Ottoman public service

Official

Ali Zihni Efendi

Muslim (Müslüman). Born in Istanbul (Dersaadet) in 1887/88 (AH 1305). On record 1905 to 1907, 2 annual entries.

Archive reference 148-174-343

Compare Ali Zihni Efendi with other officials

Life

Born in Istanbul in 1887/88 (AH 1305), Ali Zihni Efendi came from the Muslim (Müslüman) community; the father was a tradesman (esnaf). Ali Zihni had seven years of schooling, at a middle school (Rüşdiye Mektebi), and held a qualification (a diploma, certificate, training or decoration).

At about 16, in 1903/04, Ali Zihni began work in Istanbul, with two unpaid years as a mülazım (apprentice) before a first salary of 50 kuruş. Both annual entries, for 1905/06 and 1906/07, place Ali Zihni in Istanbul, the birthplace, in the control office (Kontrol Kalemi).

The salary went from 50 kuruş a month in 1905/06 to 100 in 1906/07, the peak, in the Kontrol Kalemi in Istanbul, when 2 per cent of paid officials earned less. The final annual entry is for 1906/07.

Career and salary

All years
Monthly salary by year, kuruşsalary of the yearyears with one job titleno annual entry
0501001905/06AH 13231906/07AH 1324100 kuruşKontrol Kalemi
Salary against the medians of the same year
501002005001905/06AH 13231906/07AH 1324This officialMedian, all officialsMedian, same titleMedian, same province

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
Salary of Ali Zihni Efendi against the medians of the same year, kuruş a month
YearSalaryMedian, all officialsMedian, same titleMedian, same provincePaid less
1905/06504753004250%
1906/071004503204702%

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.

Career of Ali Zihni Efendi, one row per stage
YearsTitlePlaceSalary (kuruş a month)
1903/04AH 1321First workIstanbul (Dersaadet)50first-salary field
1905 to 1907AH 1323 to 1324Kontrol Kalemi
2 entries
YearSalary
1905/0650
1906/07100
Istanbul (Dersaadet)50 to 100

Record

Personal

Born
1887/88 (AH 1305)
Community
Muslim (Müslüman)
Nationality as recorded
Turkish
Father's occupation
Esnaf

Education

Rüşdiye
Rüşdiye Mektebi (7 years)rüşdiye school (middle school)
Unpaid years (mülazemet)
2 years
Preparation route (classification of the paper)
Middle
Qualification (diploma, certificate, training or nişan)
Yes

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
1903/04 (AH 1321)
First salary field (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 28 officials who held Kontrol Kalemi in Istanbul in the same years, Ali Zihni Efendi had the 25th highest salary.

Same place, same years

Of the 518 officials with entries in Istanbul in the same years, Ali Zihni Efendi had the 461st highest salary.

All 1,750 officials with entries in Istanbul

Same job title, same years

Of the 31 officials with the title Kontrol Kalemi in the same years, Ali Zihni Efendi had the 28th highest salary.

All 104 officials with the title Kontrol Kalemi

Same school

Of the 3,206 officials with Rüşdiye Mektebi among their schools, 3,200 have a recorded salary; Ali Zihni Efendi had the 3,019th highest salary of them.

All 3,206 officials with Rüşdiye Mektebi

Same birthplace

Of the 1,999 officials born in Istanbul, 1,997 have a recorded salary; Ali Zihni Efendi had the 1,806th highest salary of them.

The page of Istanbul, with the 1,999 officials born there

First annual entry in the same year

Of the 117 officials whose first annual entry is for 1905/06 (AH 1323), Ali Zihni Efendi had the 100th highest salary.

Full record

Annual entries (2)

Annual entries of Ali Zihni Efendi
YearTitlePlaceKuruş a monthInstitutionSourceArchive reference
1905/06AH 1323Kontrol KalemiIstanbul (Dersaadet)50Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf)Recovered annual personnel extract148-174-343
1906/07AH 1324Kontrol KalemiIstanbul (Dersaadet)100Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf)Recovered annual personnel extract148-174-343
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)

Recorded values of Ali Zihni Efendi with their sources
FieldRecorded valueSource
Identity
NameAli Zihni EfendiPersonnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract
Birth year (AH)1305Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract
BirthplacedersaadetRecovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract
Province of birthdersaadetRecovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract
Father's occupationesnafRecovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract
ReligionMuslumanRecovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract
Nationality or communityTurkishRecovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract
Schooling
SchoolRusdiye MektebiRecovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract
Years of schooling7Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract
Years of apprenticeship (mülazemet)2Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract
First work
First work: year (AH)1321Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract
First work: Gregorian year as stored1903Recovered annual personnel extract
First work: placeistanbulRecovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract
First salary field (kuruş a month)50Recovered 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.
  • 1 annual entry of 2 belong to the saved estimation sample of the paper.

How to read this record: calendar years, years without an annual entry, salaries and sources.

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