See TREASURER.Meninski calls him Supremus Thesaurarius, High Treasurer; and Præfes Camera, President of the Exchequer; And Castellus makes him the Keeper, and Comptroller of the Books of Receipt, and Payment.The Deftardar, or as Vigenere calls him, the Dephterder, has in his Charge the Rolls, and Accounts of the Militia, and the Treasury; He receives all the Grand Seignior's Revenues, pays his Forces, and furnishes the Expences of all public Affairs: In which, his Office differs from that of the Chaznadar, who is Treasurer of the Seraglio, or Court, as the Deftardar is of the State.Ricaut makes a Deftardar in each Beglierbic, or Government. Vigenere assures us, there are but two the one for Europe, and the other for Asia; The first resides at Constantinople, and has under him two General Commissioners, or Deputies, one for Hungary, Transylvania, Walachia, Croatia, Servia, Bulgaria, Bosnia, &c.
The other for Greece, and the Morea, with the Islands of the Archipelago.Each of these has under him as many Sub-Commissioners, or Agents, as there are Saniaquats in his Province; which Sub-Commissioners have as many Clerks as there are Sabassi's in their Saniaquat, to keep the Account of the Timariots in their Districts.
The Dephterder of Asia has two General Commissioners, ,the one for Anatolia, the other for Syria, Arabia, and Egypt; who have likewise their Sub-Commissioners, Clerks, &c. as those of Europe.The Word is compounded, first, of דפתר defter, a Turkish Name for a Book, Register, Memoir, &c. which Meninski derives from the Greek διφθέρα, Skin, Parchment.
The second Word, whereof Deftardar is compounded, is דאר dar, a Turkish, and Persian Word, signifying keeping, or holding, q. d. Book-keeper of the Monies receiv'd, and expended.