Official
Melkon Berhadar Efendi
Armenian Christian (Ermeni). Born in Istanbul (Dersaadet) in 1848/49 (AH 1265). On record 1867 to 1904, 38 annual entries. Death recorded 1904/05.
Archive reference 8_51; 97
Life#
Born in Istanbul in 1848/49 (AH 1265) into the Armenian Christian (Ermeni) community, Melkon Berhadar Efendi was the child of a teacher (muallim). Schooling took four years, at an Armenian school for young children (Ermeni Sıbyan Mektebi); Melkon Berhadar also attended the telegraph school. In all Melkon Berhadar knew four languages, Armenian, French, Italian and Turkish, all in writing; fewer than 5 per cent of the 5,211 officials knew as many.
Work began in Istanbul in 1865/66, at about 16, with two unpaid years as a mülazım (apprentice) before a first salary of 320 kuruş. From the first annual entry, for 1867/68, to 1903/04, every annual entry places Melkon Berhadar in the same post, official for foreign communications (Muhaberat-ı Ecnebiye Memuriyeti), in Beyoğlu. Of the 775 officials whose entries span 30 years or more, 13 kept one title in one place throughout.
The salary went from 320 kuruş a month in 1867/68 to 1,500 in 1903/04, the peak, when 94 per cent of paid officials earned less. Over 38 years the salaries add up to 437,736 kuruş, 1.8 times what an official on the median salary earned. After the last annual entry, for 1903/04, the list of 1904/05 (AH 1322) gives the status word Vefat (death).
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 1848/49 (AH 1265); First work 1865/66 (AH 1282)
1867 to 1904 (AH 1284 to 1321)
Muhaberat-ı Ecnebiye Memuriyeti
320 to 1,500 kuruş a month; entries in 38 years
Death recorded in the annual list of 1904/05 (AH 1322): the word Vefat, not a date of death.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1867/68 | 320 | 600 | 600 | 576 | 11% |
| 1868/69 | 384 | 600 | 570 | 500 | 16% |
| 1869/70 | 384 | 600 | 576 | 520 | 17% |
| 1870/71 | 480 | 600 | 600 | 500 | 37% |
| 1871/72 | 425 | 550 | 570 | 500 | 36% |
| 1872/73 | 475 | 550 | 585 | 550 | 41% |
| 1873/74 | 650 | 500 | 570 | 500 | 60% |
| 1874/75 | 775 | 535 | 650 | 522.5 | 69% |
| 1875/76 | 775 | 530 | 700 | 550 | 70% |
| 1876/77 | 800 | 582.5 | 600 | 587.5 | 67% |
| 1877/78 | 800 | 560 | 600 | 600 | 68% |
| 1878 | 800 | 600 | 600 | 600 | 65% |
| 1878/79 | 950 | 600 | 600 | 600 | 75% |
| 1879/80 | 800 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 77% |
| 1880/81 | 1,000 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 84% |
| 1881/82 | 1,000 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 84% |
| 1882/83 | 1,000 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 82% |
| 1883/84 | 1,000 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 82% |
| 1884/85 | 1,000 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 82% |
| 1885/86 | 1,000 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 83% |
| 1886/87 | 1,000 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 84% |
| 1887/88 | 1,000 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 83% |
| 1888/89 | 1,100 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 87% |
| 1889/90 | 1,100 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 88% |
| 1890/91 | 1,150 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 89% |
| 1891/92 | 1,150 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 90% |
| 1892/93 | 1,150 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 90% |
| 1893/94 | 1,200 | 500 | 500 | 480 | 91% |
| 1894/95 | 1,200 | 500 | 500 | 450 | 91% |
| 1895/96 | 1,300 | 500 | 500 | 440 | 93% |
| 1896/97 | 1,170 | 500 | 495 | 425 | 93% |
| 1897/98 | 1,170 | 500 | 480 | 425 | 93% |
| 1898/99 | 1,170 | 500 | 495 | 440 | 93% |
| 1899/1900 | 1,250 | 500 | 500 | 450 | 93% |
| 1900/01 | 1,350 | 500 | 500 | 450 | 93% |
| 1901/02 | 1,350 | 500 | 480 | 440 | 93% |
| 1902/03 | 1,350 | 500 | 400 | 450 | 93% |
| 1903/04 | 1,500 | 475 | 450 | 450 | 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1865/66AH 1282 | First work | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 320first-salary field |
| 1867 to 1904AH 1284 to 1321 | Muhaberat-ı Ecnebiye Memuriyeti | Beyoğlu | 320 to 1,500 |
| 1904/05AH 1322 | Death recorded | ||
Record#
Personal
- Born
- 1848/49 (AH 1265)
- Birthplace
- Istanbul (Dersaadet)
- Community
- Armenian Christian (Ermeni)
- Nationality as recorded
- Ermeni
- Father's occupation
- Muallim
- Death recorded
- 1904/05 (AH 1322)the year of the annual list with the word Vefat, not a date of death
Education
- Primary
- Ermeni Sıbyan Mektebi (4 years)Armenian school for young children
- Higher or professional
- Telgraf Mektebitelegraph school; recorded as a code
- Unpaid years (mülazemet)
- 2 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
- Armenian
- Kitabetwriting
- French
- Kitabetwriting
- Italian
- Kitabetwriting
- Turkish
- Kitabetwriting
The glosses are cautious historical readings of the recorded words, not modern levels of proficiency.
First work
- Year
- 1865/66 (AH 1282)
- Place
- Istanbul (Dersaadet)
- First salary field (kuruş a month)
- 320
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 152 officials who held Muhaberat-ı Ecnebiye Memuriyeti in Beyoğlu in the same years, Melkon Berhadar Efendi had the 12th highest salary.
- Jan Diraço Efendi36 shared years; highest salary 1,100 kuruş
- Hazarusyan Misbak Efendi36 shared years; highest salary 800 kuruş
- Acemyan Dikran Efendi34 shared years; highest salary 1,100 kuruş
- Zenop Tangaryan Efendi33 shared years; highest salary 665 kuruş
- Hamparsom Akna Efendi32 shared years; highest salary 500 kuruş
Same place, same years
Of the 383 officials with entries in Beyoğlu in the same years, Melkon Berhadar Efendi had the 63rd highest salary.
- Paskal Mıgırdıç Kazancıyan Efendi38 shared years; highest salary 2,905 kuruş
- Jan Diraço Efendi36 shared years; highest salary 1,100 kuruş
- Hazarusyan Misbak Efendi36 shared years; highest salary 800 kuruş
- Taşçıyan Markar Efendi35 shared years; highest salary 1,300 kuruş
- Andon Körkis Efendi35 shared years; highest salary 800 kuruş
Same job title, same years
Of the 465 officials with the title Muhaberat-ı Ecnebiye Memuriyeti in the same years, Melkon Berhadar Efendi had the 26th highest salary.
- Yanko Filoklis Efendi38 shared years; highest salary 800 kuruş
- Hazarusyan Misbak Efendi37 shared years; highest salary 800 kuruş
- Jan Diraço Efendi36 shared years; highest salary 1,100 kuruş
- Acemyan Dikran Efendi35 shared years; highest salary 1,100 kuruş
- Kirkor Serpusyan Efendi35 shared years; highest salary 850 kuruş
All 605 officials with the title Muhaberat-ı Ecnebiye Memuriyeti
Same school
Of the 5 officials with Ermeni Sıbyan Mektebi among their schools, Melkon Berhadar Efendi had the highest salary.
- Kirkor Serpusyan Efendiborn 1846/47 (AH 1263); highest salary 850 kuruş
- Ohannes Efendiborn 1841/42 (AH 1257); highest salary 600 kuruş
- Zenop Tangaryan Efendiborn 1856/57 (AH 1273); highest salary 665 kuruş
- Kirkor Efendiborn 1858/59 (AH 1275); highest salary 750 kuruş
Same birthplace
Of the 1,999 officials born in Istanbul, 1,997 have a recorded salary; Melkon Berhadar Efendi had the 203rd highest salary of them.
- Ahmed Rıfat Efendiborn 1848/49 (AH 1265); highest salary 1,200 kuruş
- Ahmed Sadık Efendiborn 1848/49 (AH 1265); highest salary 1,200 kuruş
- Ali Afif Efendiborn 1848/49 (AH 1265); highest salary 1,000 kuruş
- Ali Nafiz Efendiborn 1848/49 (AH 1265); highest salary 750 kuruş
- Andon Körkis Efendiborn 1848/49 (AH 1265); highest salary 800 kuruş
First annual entry in the same year
Of the 73 officials whose first annual entry is for 1867/68 (AH 1284), Melkon Berhadar Efendi had the 16th highest salary.
- Marko Lansa Efendifirst entry in Beyoğlu; highest salary 550 kuruş
- Yorgaki Vasilyadi Efendifirst entry in Beyoğlu; highest salary 750 kuruş
- Kirkor Kakmaciyan Efendifirst entry in Beyoğlu; highest salary 1,000 kuruş
- Ahmed Rıfat Efendifirst entry in Çankırı; highest salary 1,200 kuruş
- Hasan Tahsin Efendifirst entry in Stara Zagora (Eski Zağra); highest salary 600 kuruş
Full record
Annual entries (38)
| Year | Title | Place | Kuruş a month | Institution | Source | Archive reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1867/68AH 1284 | Muhaberat-ı Ecnebiye Memuriyeti | Beyoğlu | 320 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 8_51; 97 |
| 1868/69AH 1285 | Muhaberat-ı Ecnebiye Memuriyeti | Beyoğlu | 384 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 8_51; 97 |
| 1869/70AH 1286 | Muhaberat-ı Ecnebiye Memuriyeti | Beyoğlu | 384 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 8_51; 97 |
| 1870/71AH 1287 | Muhaberat-ı Ecnebiye Memuriyeti | Beyoğlu | 480 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 8_51; 97 |
| 1871/72AH 1288 | Muhaberat-ı Ecnebiye Memuriyeti | Beyoğlu | 425 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 8_51; 97 |
| 1872/73AH 1289 | Muhaberat-ı Ecnebiye Memuriyeti | Beyoğlu | 475 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 8_51; 97 |
| 1873/74AH 1290 | Muhaberat-ı Ecnebiye Memuriyeti | Beyoğlu | 650 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 8_51; 97 |
| 1874/75AH 1291 | Muhaberat-ı Ecnebiye Memuriyeti | Beyoğlu | 775 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 8_51; 97 |
| 1875/76AH 1292 | Muhaberat-ı Ecnebiye Memuriyeti | Beyoğlu | 775 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 8_51; 97 |
| 1876/77AH 1293 | Muhaberat-ı Ecnebiye Memuriyeti | Beyoğlu | 800 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 8_51; 97 |
| 1877/78AH 1294 | Muhaberat-ı Ecnebiye Memuriyeti | Beyoğlu | 800 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 8_51; 97 |
| 1878AH 1295 | Muhaberat-ı Ecnebiye Memuriyeti | Beyoğlu | 800 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 8_51; 97 |
| 1878/79AH 1296 | Muhaberat-ı Ecnebiye Memuriyeti | Beyoğlu | 950 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 8_51; 97 |
| 1879/80AH 1297 | Muhaberat-ı Ecnebiye Memuriyeti | Beyoğlu | 800 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 8_51; 97 |
| 1880/81AH 1298 | Muhaberat-ı Ecnebiye Memuriyeti | Beyoğlu | 1,000 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 8_51; 97 |
| 1881/82AH 1299 | Muhaberat-ı Ecnebiye Memuriyeti | Beyoğlu | 1,000 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 8_51; 97 |
| 1882/83AH 1300 | Muhaberat-ı Ecnebiye Memuriyeti | Beyoğlu | 1,000 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 8_51; 97 |
| 1883/84AH 1301 | Muhaberat-ı Ecnebiye Memuriyeti | Beyoğlu | 1,000 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 8_51; 97 |
| 1884/85AH 1302 | Muhaberat-ı Ecnebiye Memuriyeti | Beyoğlu | 1,000 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 8_51; 97 |
| 1885/86AH 1303 | Muhaberat-ı Ecnebiye Memuriyeti | Beyoğlu | 1,000 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 8_51; 97 |
| 1886/87AH 1304 | Muhaberat-ı Ecnebiye Memuriyeti | Beyoğlu | 1,000 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 8_51; 97 |
| 1887/88AH 1305 | Muhaberat-ı Ecnebiye Memuriyeti | Beyoğlu | 1,000 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 8_51; 97 |
| 1888/89AH 1306 | Muhaberat-ı Ecnebiye Memuriyeti | Beyoğlu | 1,100 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 8_51; 97 |
| 1889/90AH 1307 | Muhaberat-ı Ecnebiye Memuriyeti | Beyoğlu | 1,100 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 8_51; 97 |
| 1890/91AH 1308 | Muhaberat-ı Ecnebiye Memuriyeti | Beyoğlu | 1,150 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 8_51; 97 |
| 1891/92AH 1309 | Muhaberat-ı Ecnebiye Memuriyeti | Beyoğlu | 1,150 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 8_51; 97 |
| 1892/93AH 1310 | Muhaberat-ı Ecnebiye Memuriyeti | Beyoğlu | 1,150 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 8_51; 97 |
| 1893/94AH 1311 | Muhaberat-ı Ecnebiye Memuriyeti | Beyoğlu | 1,200 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 8_51; 97 |
| 1894/95AH 1312 | Muhaberat-ı Ecnebiye Memuriyeti | Beyoğlu | 1,200 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 8_51; 97 |
| 1895/96AH 1313 | Muhaberat-ı Ecnebiye Memuriyeti | Beyoğlu | 1,300 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 8_51; 97 |
| 1896/97AH 1314 | Muhaberat-ı Ecnebiye Memuriyeti | Beyoğlu | 1,170 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 8_51; 97 |
| 1897/98AH 1315 | Muhaberat-ı Ecnebiye Memuriyeti | Beyoğlu | 1,170 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 8_51; 97 |
| 1898/99AH 1316 | Muhaberat-ı Ecnebiye Memuriyeti | Beyoğlu | 1,170 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 8_51; 97 |
| 1899/1900AH 1317 | Muhaberat-ı Ecnebiye Memuriyeti | Beyoğlu | 1,250 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 8_51; 97 |
| 1900/01AH 1318 | Muhaberat-ı Ecnebiye Memuriyeti | Beyoğlu | 1,350 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 8_51; 97 |
| 1901/02AH 1319 | Muhaberat-ı Ecnebiye Memuriyeti | Beyoğlu | 1,350 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 8_51; 97 |
| 1902/03AH 1320 | Muhaberat-ı Ecnebiye Memuriyeti | Beyoğlu | 1,350 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 8_51; 97 |
| 1903/04AH 1321 | Muhaberat-ı Ecnebiye Memuriyeti | Beyoğlu | 1,500 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 8_51; 97 |
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 (16)
| Field | Recorded value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Identity | ||
| Name | Melkon Berhadar Efendi | Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract |
| Birth year (AH) | 1265 | 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 | Muallim | 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 | Ermeni | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract |
| Schooling | ||
| School | Ermeni Sibyan Mektebi | 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 |
| Telegraph school (recorded code) | 1 | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract |
| Years of apprenticeship (mülazemet) | 2 | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract |
| First work | ||
| First work: year (AH) | 1282 | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract |
| First work: Gregorian year as stored | 1865 | 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) | 320 | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract |
| Status | ||
| Death recorded under the year (AH) | 1322 | Earlier annual personnel extract (original copy); Earlier annual personnel extract (parallel copy) |
What the sources named in this table are
- Earlier annual personnel extract (original copy)
- A copy of the earlier annual personnel file, read for the title wording of each year. A death taken from it is the status word Vefat in the title field of one annual list: the year is the year of that list, not a date of death.
- Earlier annual personnel extract (parallel copy)
- A second copy of the earlier annual personnel file, read in the same way. A death taken from it is the status word Vefat in the title field of one annual list: the year is the year of that list, not a date of death. Two copies that agree are one piece of evidence, not two.
- 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.
- 35 annual entries of 38 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
- Melkon Berhadar Efendi
- Post of official for foreign communications (Muhaberat-ı Ecnebiye Memuriyeti)
- Beyoğlu
- Istanbul (Dersaadet)
- Armenian school for young children (Ermeni Sıbyan Mektebi)
- Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf)
- Armenian Christian (Ermeni)
- 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)