Gökböri

Gökböri, or Muzaffar ad-Din Gökböri, was a leading emir and general of Sultan Saladin (Ṣalāḥ ad-Dīn Yūsuf ibn Ayyūb), and ruler of Erbil. He served both the Zengid and Ayyubid rulers of Syria and Egypt. He played a pivotal role in Saladin's conquest of Northern Syria and the Jazira (Upper Mesopotamia) and later held major commands in a number of battles against the Crusader states and the forces of the Third Crusade. He was known as Manafaradin, a corruption of his principal praise name, to the Franks of the Crusader states. Gökböri was the first Muslim ruler to publicly celebrate the birth of Islamic prophet Muhammad in an impressive ceremony during which al-Mawlid al-Nabawi (Mawlid or Mavlid, poetry celebrating the Prophet's Birthday) was recited.