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The Sharif of Mecca (شريف مكة) was the traditional steward of the holy cities of Mecca (Makkah) and Medina (Madinah). The term Sharif (literally, noble in Arabic) is a tribal title given to the protector of the tribe's members, assets, and lands. The sharif was charged with protecting the cities and their environs and ensuring the safety of pilgrims performing the Hadj. The title is sometimes spelled Sheriff or Sherif, with the latter variant used, for example, by T.E. Lawrence in Seven Pillars of Wisdom. The common-law political and legal office of sheriff found in some anglophone countries is unrelated.