In early 1860, the postal service of the Ottoman Empire went through a dramatic reorganization to issue stamps and distribute the post. The speed of the reorganization had created distribution problems specifically in the areas where foreigners were living. The most important problem was the education of the postmen. The postmen of the Ottoman Empire did not have any problems reading or writing in Turish with the Arabic alphabet but they were having difficulty with addresses written in Latin alphabet. It would have not been fair to all the postmen to know multiple foreign languages and ability to read and write in Arabic and Latin. This situation forced the postal service to outsource the distribution of the post to a local Greek businessman Liannos. After completing all the paperwork in August of 1865 Liannos formed the local post distribution company “Liannos et Cie” to distribute the mail in Istanbul. The company signed a 6 year contract starting from December 1865.
The history of the postal system dates back to the founding years of the Ottoman Empire. During the reign of the first Sultan, Osman Gazi, communication was maintained through Runners . These runners were called Ulak, Tatar, or Çapar.
As the empire grew and expanded, a formal communication institution became necessary. During the reign of Sultan Abdulhamid I (1774–1789), the organized Tatar Corps worked to maintain state communications. The Ottoman communication system was transformed into an organized institution during the tenure of Grand Vizier Lütfi Pasha (1539–1541) under Sultan Süleyman the Magnificent, through the establishment of relay stations (Menzilhane) across the country. This organization continued until the establishment of the Postal Ministry in 1840.
