Abstract:

This study addressed the life stories of Sürmene-born statesmen identified in Sicill-i Ahvâl Defterleri (Ottoman Employment Record Books) containing the biographies of state officials who occupied the civil servant position in the Ottoman Empire. In this respect, 25 civil servants who were born in downtown Sürmene and villages located within the administrative domain of Sürmene town were identified. The study presented information about these civil servants’ birth dates, birthplaces, reputations, names, nicknames, titles, and education levels as well as duties assigned to them, salaries earned by them, rewards granted to them due to their achievements, and penalties imposed on them because of their wrongful initiatives. Besides, information about their fathers’ names, reputations, and titles as well as the last duties conducted by their fathers was given. Such sort of information included in the records was evaluated within the context of available means. The study performed in this framework endeavored to unveil Sürmene-born civil servants’ social origins, education levels, areas of employment, achievements, and illegal initiatives. To this end, the Employment Record Books of the Ottoman Ministry of Interior, Civil Servant Record Envelopes, and Şûrâ-yı Devlet Sicilleri (Ottoman State Council Records) in Ottoman archives were utilized. The research targeted to contribute to the relevant literature in the field also by making use of review studies.

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