Official
Mehmet Asım Efendi
Muslim (Müslüman). Born in Istanbul (Dersaadet) in 1856/57 (AH 1273). On record 1876 to 1907, 32 annual entries.
Archive reference 0034_0090; 177
Life#
Born in Istanbul in 1856/57 (AH 1273), Mehmet Asım Efendi came from the Muslim (Müslüman) community; the father was an army captain (yüzbaşı). Schooling took seven years, at a middle school (Rüşdiye Mektebi); Mehmet Asım also held a qualification (a diploma, certificate, training or decoration).
Mehmet Asım began work in İzmit in 1872/73, at about 16, with four unpaid years as a mülazım (apprentice) before a first salary of 200 kuruş. The annual lists begin in 1876/77, with Mehmet Asım as an official (Memur) in Istanbul, the birthplace, where the entries run to 1884/85. Next came Babiali from 1885 to 1889, then a return to Istanbul from 1889 to 1891. From 1891 to 1907 every annual entry places Mehmet Asım in Mabeyni humayun, with a rise to communications official (Muhabere Memuru).
Pay rose from 200 kuruş a month in 1876/77 to a peak of 1,550 in 1902/03, as Muhabere Memuru in Mabeyni humayun, when 95 per cent of paid officials earned less. Over 32 years the salaries add up to 318,480 kuruş, 1.6 times what an official on the median salary earned. The final annual entry is for 1906/07.
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 1856/57 (AH 1273)
First work 1872/73 (AH 1289)
1876 to 1885 (AH 1293 to 1302)
200 to 400 kuruş a month; entries in 10 years
1891 to 1907 (AH 1309 to 1324)
800 to 1,550 kuruş a month; entries in 16 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1876/77 | 200 | 582.5 | 400 | 5% |
| 1877/78 | 300 | 560 | 400 | 8% |
| 1878 | 400 | 600 | 450 | 17% |
| 1878/79 | 400 | 600 | 500 | 18% |
| 1879/80 | 400 | 500 | 380 | 35% |
| 1880/81 | 400 | 500 | 350 | 34% |
| 1881/82 | 400 | 500 | 390 | 31% |
| 1882/83 | 400 | 500 | 400 | 28% |
| 1883/84 | 400 | 500 | 425 | 27% |
| 1884/85 | 400 | 500 | 400 | 27% |
| 1885/86 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 42% |
| 1886/87 | 500 | 500 | 400 | 42% |
| 1887/88 | 500 | 500 | 300 | 41% |
| 1888/89 | 550 | 500 | 375 | 55% |
| 1889/90 | 550 | 500 | 300 | 55% |
| 1890/91 | 550 | 500 | 285 | 56% |
| 1891/92 | 800 | 500 | 400 | 79% |
| 1892/93 | 800 | 500 | 400 | 80% |
| 1893/94 | 950 | 500 | 400 | 87% |
| 1894/95 | 950 | 500 | 400 | 87% |
| 1895/96 | 1,200 | 500 | 400 | 90% |
| 1896/97 | 1,080 | 500 | 400 | 91% |
| 1897/98 | 1,130 | 500 | 400 | 93% |
| 1898/99 | 1,130 | 500 | 400 | 93% |
| 1899/1900 | 1,250 | 500 | 400 | 93% |
| 1900/01 | 1,250 | 500 | 400 | 92% |
| 1901/02 | 1,400 | 500 | 400 | 93% |
| 1902/03 | 1,550 | 500 | 380 | 95% |
| 1903/04 | 1,550 | 475 | 350 | 95% |
| 1904/05 | 1,550 | 450 | 350 | 95% |
| 1905/06 | 1,550 | 475 | 330 | 95% |
| 1906/07 | 1,550 | 450 | 300 | 94% |
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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1872/73AH 1289 | First work | İzmit | 200first-salary field |
| 1876 to 1885AH 1293 to 1302 | Memur | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 200 to 400 |
| 1885 to 1889AH 1303 to 1306 | Memur | Babiali | 500 to 550 |
| 1889 to 1891AH 1307 to 1308 | Memur | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 550 |
| 1891 to 1907AH 1309 to 1324 | Muhabere Memuru | Mabeyni humayun | 800 to 1,550 |
Record#
Personal
- Born
- 1856/57 (AH 1273)
- Birthplace
- Istanbul (Dersaadet)
- Community
- Muslim (Müslüman)
- Nationality as recorded
- Turkish
- Father's occupation
- Yuzbasi
Education
- Rüşdiye
- Rüşdiye Mektebi (7 years)rüşdiye school (middle school)
- Unpaid years (mülazemet)
- 4 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
- 1872/73 (AH 1289)
- Place
- İzmit
- First salary field (kuruş a month)
- 200
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 19 officials with entries in Mabeyni humayun in the same years, Mehmet Asım Efendi had the 8th highest salary.
- Mehmet Vehbi Efendi16 shared years; highest salary 6,400 kuruş
- Mehmet Arif Efendi16 shared years; highest salary 3,600 kuruş
- Mehmet Hulusi Bey16 shared years; highest salary 2,600 kuruş
- Ahmet Hakki Efendi16 shared years; highest salary 2,500 kuruş
- Ali Şevket Efendi15 shared years; highest salary 1,450 kuruş
Same job title, same years
Of the 151 officials with the title Memur in the same years, Mehmet Asım Efendi had the 12th highest salary.
- Ohannes Papasyan Efendi16 shared years; highest salary 2,000 kuruş
- Hüseyin Hüsnü Efendi16 shared years; highest salary 900 kuruş
- Mehmet Raif Efendi16 shared years; highest salary 650 kuruş
- Mehmet Ali Bey15 shared years; highest salary 2,200 kuruş
- Hasan Sıtkı Efendi15 shared years; highest salary 800 kuruş
Same school
Of the 3,206 officials with Rüşdiye Mektebi among their schools, 3,200 have a recorded salary; Mehmet Asım Efendi had the 131st highest salary of them.
- Abdurrahman Rüştü Efendiborn 1856/57 (AH 1273); highest salary 760 kuruş
- Ahmet Bican Efendiborn 1856/57 (AH 1273); highest salary 600 kuruş
- Ahmet Efendiborn 1856/57 (AH 1273); highest salary 500 kuruş
- Ahmet Efendiborn 1856/57 (AH 1273); highest salary 200 kuruş
- Ahmet Hilmi Efendiborn 1856/57 (AH 1273); highest salary 400 kuruş
Same birthplace
Of the 1,999 officials born in Istanbul, 1,997 have a recorded salary; Mehmet Asım Efendi had the 200th highest salary of them.
- Abdurrahman Rüştü Efendiborn 1856/57 (AH 1273); highest salary 760 kuruş
- Ahmet Rifat Efendiborn 1856/57 (AH 1273); highest salary 400 kuruş
- Alfo Efendiborn 1856/57 (AH 1273); highest salary 600 kuruş
- Ali Beyborn 1856/57 (AH 1273); highest salary 1,400 kuruş
- Ali Nuri Efendiborn 1856/57 (AH 1273); highest salary 440 kuruş
First annual entry in the same year
Of the 120 officials whose first annual entry is for 1876/77 (AH 1293), Mehmet Asım Efendi had the 9th highest salary.
- Ali Nuri Efendifirst entry in Istanbul; highest salary 440 kuruş
- Ali Rıza Efendifirst entry in Istanbul; highest salary 2,000 kuruş
- Fuat Beyfirst entry in Istanbul; highest salary 250 kuruş
- İbrahim Faik Beyfirst entry in Istanbul; highest salary 600 kuruş
- Vahram Beyfirst entry in Istanbul; highest salary 2,000 kuruş
Full record
Annual entries (32)
| Year | Title | Place | Kuruş a month | Institution | Source | Archive reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1876/77AH 1293 | Memur | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 200 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0034_0090; 177 |
| 1877/78AH 1294 | Memur | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 300 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0034_0090; 177 |
| 1878AH 1295 | Memur | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 400 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0034_0090; 177 |
| 1878/79AH 1296 | Memur | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 400 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0034_0090; 177 |
| 1879/80AH 1297 | Memur | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 400 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0034_0090; 177 |
| 1880/81AH 1298 | Memur | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 400 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0034_0090; 177 |
| 1881/82AH 1299 | Memur | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 400 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0034_0090; 177 |
| 1882/83AH 1300 | Memur | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 400 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0034_0090; 177 |
| 1883/84AH 1301 | Memur | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 400 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0034_0090; 177 |
| 1884/85AH 1302 | Memur | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 400 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0034_0090; 177 |
| 1885/86AH 1303 | Memur | Babiali | 500 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0034_0090; 177 |
| 1886/87AH 1304 | Memur | Babiali | 500 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0034_0090; 177 |
| 1887/88AH 1305 | Memur | Babiali | 500 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0034_0090; 177 |
| 1888/89AH 1306 | Memur | Babiali | 550 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0034_0090; 177 |
| 1889/90AH 1307 | Memur | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 550 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0034_0090; 177 |
| 1890/91AH 1308 | Memur | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 550 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0034_0090; 177 |
| 1891/92AH 1309 | Muhabere Memuru | Mabeyni humayun | 800 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0034_0090; 177 |
| 1892/93AH 1310 | Muhabere Memuru | Mabeyni humayun | 800 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0034_0090; 177 |
| 1893/94AH 1311 | Muhabere Memuru | Mabeyni humayun | 950 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0034_0090; 177 |
| 1894/95AH 1312 | Muhabere Memuru | Mabeyni humayun | 950 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0034_0090; 177 |
| 1895/96AH 1313 | Muhabere Memuru | Mabeyni humayun | 1,200 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0034_0090; 177 |
| 1896/97AH 1314 | Muhabere Memuru | Mabeyni humayun | 1,080 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0034_0090; 177 |
| 1897/98AH 1315 | Muhabere Memuru | Mabeyni humayun | 1,130 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0034_0090; 177 |
| 1898/99AH 1316 | Muhabere Memuru | Mabeyni humayun | 1,130 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0034_0090; 177 |
| 1899/1900AH 1317 | Muhabere Memuru | Mabeyni humayun | 1,250 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0034_0090; 177 |
| 1900/01AH 1318 | Muhabere Memuru | Mabeyni humayun | 1,250 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0034_0090; 177 |
| 1901/02AH 1319 | Muhabere Memuru | Mabeyni humayun | 1,400 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0034_0090; 177 |
| 1902/03AH 1320 | Muhabere Memuru | Mabeyni humayun | 1,550 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0034_0090; 177 |
| 1903/04AH 1321 | Muhabere Memuru | Mabeyni humayun | 1,550 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0034_0090; 177 |
| 1904/05AH 1322 | Muhabere Memuru | Mabeyni humayun | 1,550 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0034_0090; 177 |
| 1905/06AH 1323 | Muhabere Memuru | Mabeyni humayun | 1,550 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0034_0090; 177 |
| 1906/07AH 1324 | Muhabere Memuru | Mabeyni humayun | 1,550 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0034_0090; 177 |
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 | Mehmet Asım Efendi | Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract |
| Birth year (AH) | 1273 | 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 | yuzbasi | 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) | 4 | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract |
| First work | ||
| First work: year (AH) | 1289 | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract |
| First work: Gregorian year as stored | 1872 | Recovered annual personnel extract |
| First work: place | izmit | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract |
| First salary field (kuruş a month) | 200 | 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.
- 31 annual entries of 32 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
- Mehmet Asım Efendi
- Official (Memur)
- Mabeyni humayun
- Istanbul (Dersaadet)
- 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)